


The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions

by sirensoundwave



Series: Reality of Chaos [3]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Gen, chaos mage concept
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-11
Updated: 2013-11-12
Packaged: 2018-01-01 05:11:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 36,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1040743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sirensoundwave/pseuds/sirensoundwave
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It began with a casual observation. That mushroomed into Danny and several others acknowledging what he fears; that he wears a facade that is slowly cracking. What do you do when you feel the darkness stirring inside you? Threatening what you love?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kryptonite

**Author's Note:**

> Sirensoundwave here. This is my first fic and I wrote it on my android phone with NO SPELL CHECK. I've proofread this but that's not really saying much. Anyoo if anyone knows of a nice free app that will run on my samsung admire that includes spell-check, do share. Don't know if or when I'll update this cuz I have to use an actual computer to post till I find a program for my phone and I am rarely home at a decent hour. So, constructive critisism, welcome. Flamers have to french kiss Cujo.

 

  
  


Chapter 1

 

If I go crazy, then will you still call me Superman?

 

To say Clockwork knew all is to say earth had another body slam into it in it's early life. The collision explains the moon, why it's so big, so close and why it's composed the way it is. But other than that there's no proof. So, did the master of time know all? Eh...

Case in point, one Daniel Fenton. The day he turned on the portal, the linear flow to the world's future fractured into a hopeless tangle of possibilities that spanned from utopia to armaggedon. Here was a child that was unknowingly a nexus-a being with the ability to laugh at destiny and spit on fate. An awkward, klutzy teenaged boy who was merely a facade. His cohorts thought Danny Phantom was his alterego. until Tucker, in a moment of brilliance not tech related, pointed out a bit of comic book geek philosophy one movie night at Sam's.

"What?" Sam raised a brow, a handful of popcorn inches from her mouth.

"The Superman Paradox. Who's real, Superman or Clark Kent; and why no one seems to notice. Supes makes no attempt to hide his face just like you dude yet everyone around him appears really clueless about how similar they look."

"Well yeah...but acting different covers. Clark Kent is pathetic, Superman is invincible and knows it. Unless you've got kryptonite, he can kick your butt." Danny said.

" That's just it man. Unless you really try you and Danny Phantom act exactly the same. This town seems populated by the least observant people on the planet. You've had so many close calls it's not even funny." Tucker reached for some popcorn, leaning over Sam's lap in the process. "Anyway, in Kill Bill vol 2 the Bride and Bill discuss Superman's identity. It's Bill's arguement that Clark Kent is in fact the mask the hero wears. He is a living parody, how he really views humanity."

"So you're implying Danny is our awkward in every sense of the word friend because he thinks that's how he should act? Cuz that's a real close comparison to a sociopath." Sam frowned. She was starting to think one third of Team Phantom had finally cracked. Hmph... what took so long?

"Wha? No! What I mean is he's never going to be normal. He's essentially Phantom using Fenton as an escape. " his glasses slid down his nose as he tried to explain. Without missing a beat, he pushed the back up.

"He is essentially a foot away from you and far from deaf. Okay so I'm kinda... creepy. But that arguement only works because Kal-El was never human to begin with. He just didn't know it. I've always been human. " Danny looked down at his lap. "At least I used to be."

Violet eyes, poorly concealing exasperation, closed as their owner face palmed. Awesome Tuck, make him depressed. Would it kill you to think then speak?

Tucker seemed to sense the way his friends were now ill at ease. Or he had the same thought as Sam did. Whichever the case, he began to backpedal like no tomorrow.

"Dude 1) You AREN'T creepy, forget about what Spectra said; and 2) It speaks volumes about your character. You could have given into the darker aspects of being half ghost like becoming obsessed with becoming more powerful like a certain fruitloop or losin' it and lashing out at those who wouldn't last three seconds. You're no boy scout but far from a monster man." He leaned back allowing his beret to fall off onto a floor pillow.

"Nice save. Thanks Tuck." Danny smiled on the outside but all he really felt was foreboding. He appreciated their faith in him but...was it misplaced?

They didn't know.

How could he tell them he felt his sanity slowly slipping?

That he might still turn into him.

That he felt like a monster?

Danny noticed the difference in himself almost immediately after the accident. Whispers in his dreams that became voices in daydreams...then shouts in his waking hours. Telling him that if he gave into his cravings he would be powerful. Free. No one could hurt him or those he cared for if he simply dealt with those threats properly. Better yet, release his friends and family from the mortal coil. He had the power. And Sam was beautiful as Undergrowth's puppet. Danny had no doubt that would be her element as Tucker would give Technus a run for his money and ghostly versions of Valerie and his parents would probably scare the ectoplasm out of Skulker.

These horrifying thoughts cost him his lunch several times. How could he consider murdering those he loved? Equally disturbing was the voice on his head began to sound like that sadistic bastard, Dark Dan. Trying to drown it all out led to a less than healthy combination of meditation and cutting. But it was working.

The urge to suck the life out of others? He'd lost the ability to suppress that completely. Danny knew that all ghosts fed on energy of some kind. Spectra and Ember both had made that very obvious. No matter how much food he shoved down, he found himself starving. But for what?

"Hey Fentonia! Time for your daily pounding!" A familar hand grabbed his collar.

Dash made two mistakes that day. One was screwing with a halfa that was dead on his feet. Ignore the pun. The other was doing so without his buddies around. The next few minutes were blurry in Danny's memory but he just knew what happened. When he came back to himself, he screamed.

His tormentor was on his back, eyes wide open and blankly staring at the gym ceiling. Peach skin had faded into a sickly grey. Danny immediately thought he was dead. He felt slightly relieved to see shallow breaths causing his chest to rise and fall. But that quickly vanished once he realized he wasn't about to keel over anymore. His stomach wasn't tied in knots. He felt full!

Later Dash told everyone a ghost with red eyes had posed as Fenton and did something to him that made him feel weak. Obliviousness was once again saves the day. Almost. The hunger came back two days later.

Realizing all living things naturally gave of energy like space heaters gave off warmth was a blessing. All he had to do was absorb that excess. There was a similar effect when people cheered Phantom on in battle. Huzzanh, he was officially a psychic vampire. Joy.

But as long as I keep on doing what I'm doing, all will be well

Right? All I want is to protect people and do the right thing!

/Yes Danny. But, they say the road to hell is paved with good intentions./ A chill passed through the blue eyed boy. All he could do was shiver at the low chuckle only he could hear.

  
  



	2. Riot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks a bunch to everyone who reviewed or is following this fic. I still don't have spellcheck but I have gotten acess to a computer with WordPad while at work so uploading is better. Still I need something on my phone to upload with. I call it a phone but I spend what, 10 minutes a day talking on it. Any thoughts? Hell, all I really need it to do is convert Thinkfree or Kingsoft files into something can recognize. Okay, chapter one has been re-editted and I fixed the summary. Chapter's a bit short I know. Three will be longer, I promise.

 

Chapter 2

Let's start a riot...a riot

So...booored...

Sam supressed a yawn as their science teacher, Mr. Dane, droned on about something or other. It wasn't that she didn't care, he was just so bad at keeping anyone's attention. The class ace (*cough* nerd *cough*) Reanna was spacing out and desperately trying not to face plant onto her desk. The goth girl couldn't even remember what he was talking about. She glanced at the clock as the slide clicked and changed.

10:12...exactly the same time it was the last time I looked.

That had felt like ages ago. Time sure comes to a screeching halt when youre bored to tears.

So, she decided to think about the conversation they had last week; the superman thing.

She didn't really agree with Tucker that Phantom was the real Danny. Still, she'd spent a few hours looking into it that weekend. Why? Because despite evidence to the contrary, the techno addict did occasionally make valid points on some very deep issues. And this was one such time. Since the incident with his future self, Danny had been kinda off. Well more off than usual.

Hoping that the halfa would open up to his friends, she hadn't mentioned how he'd changed since getting his powers. Sam noticed her best friend used to be wiped out after a battle but that suddenly it would pass after spending some time with her and Tucker. Or anybody really. It was unnerving because the worse Danny seemed at first, the worse she felt by the time they parted ways. Part of her research had been on ghosts in general. One site in particular stood out.

Ghosts ,like all beings, need nurishment. This usually takes the form of emotions such as despair, fear, anger or any type of excitement humans may feel. Some have even been known to subsist on positive emotions such as joy and laughter. However, the more powerful the spectre, the greater their hunger. It is not unheard of for victims of hauntings to experience extreme fatigue without explanation. Some have been drained to death.

That had been enough to cause her to spray soda all over the laptop.

Dash almost died the day he was found comatose in the gym. He'd claimed a ghost took Danny's likeness and jumped him. He knew it couldn't be his favorite punching bag because it pinned him to the floor behind the bleachers. It sat on his chest, holding his arms out to the side. That and the glowing red eyes.

"You'll do. He can't stand you anyway. Hmph, I'm not that impressed either. Now be a good boy and scream for me." whatever it was hissed in his ear. Fear overrode him and Dash's brain shut down. He needed no further prompting when it got an inch from his face and grinned revealing very sharp teeth Fenton definitely didn't have.

He did most logical thing given the situatuion; thrashed and screamed bloody murder. The doctors said it was such a violent but useless struggle that his entire torso was bruised black as were his arms in mirrored areas. All the while the thing on top of him smiled. After what felt like an eternity, the jock's throat began to feel raw and spots danced before his eyes. How long had he yelled? He vaguely remembered a door open. Maybe it was closing. By then, he was too tired to really be sure. The creature frowned before sealing it's lips over his. His skin crawled when it shoved it's tongue down his throat.

Then it started to suck and...lights out. Being french kissed by an energy sucking monster disguised as the weakest person he knew was the last thing he could recall before waking up in the hospital a week later. As soon as he could move, the very first thing he did was brush his teeth till his tongue bled. Totally understandable.

The school was on lock down for 3 days until the Fentons and the GIW declared it all clear.

The football star told anyone who would listen about his near death experience. It changed a bit each time but the general course of events was the same. He got jumped and almost eaten alive. That meant nothing though. Dash was, well, Dash and both groups of ghost hunters were sadly lacking in ability to actually catch a ghost. Hurt and torture yes but they always got away in the end. Besides, how many times had bad guys impersonated Danny and/or Phantom? Everytime, the culprit had red eyes. Same old, same old right?

Right?

Sam found herself briefly doubting her own logic then being angry for it. Danny was her friend. He risked his life on a daily basis just so he could be shoved in lockers, ignored by the cool kids and degraded by teachers. He refused to use his powers to gain fame. Okay, he spent most of his time fighting evil ghosts; then trying not to get killed by the GIW, Valerie (aka Red Huntress) and worst of all his parents. All the while knowing that telling his secret might help improve the situation with two out of the three. The keyword being might. The whole 'rip Phantom apart molecule by molecule' thing was kinda iffy. So was the very real possibilty Valerie would blow him away the instant he told her. She understood why he didn't chance it.

But that wasn't the point. She knew for sure that if Danny really wanted to, he could lay them all to waste in a heart beat. She had seen it in his potential. And the future that never was. For that reason she believed he would always do what what was necesary in order to protect his loved ones, his town and his dimension even at cost to himself. But what exactly did necessary mean? Where do you draw the line between necessary and immoral? After all in the reality of the Justice Lords, that's what sparked their iron fist approach. The need to protect and prevent the innocent from being harmed. On that note, what dimension did Danny consider his anyway? He really didn't fit into the Ghost Zone or the Living World. Damn you Tucker!

So she spent the next two days in a funk, even blowing off their plans to seen a meteor shower Sunday night. She told them she had some bad hummus dip and could get out of bed, Now here she was in science class on Monday morning. Confused, conflicted and slowly being lulled into a vegetative state by an man who was under paid and knew it.

10:13...seriously? That internal musing had to have taken five minutes at least!

She glanced around at her classmates. She shared this class with the cause of her current headache but not Tucker because he had study hall right now. Lucky bastard. She sighed and attempted to listen again. Soon though, the lesson wouldn't be the most likely to knock her out. Literally.

"Shut up! God you're like the most boring person ever! My ears are bleeding!" Paulina began to mutter none too softly, her Sayonara Pussycat pencil snapping in her clenched fist. The kid behind her was drawing on desk. But he was pressing so hard, wood shaving were curling around his fingers.

Sam's eyes widened. The ice bitch gave off a red aura like an anime fighter powering up. So did four eyes behind her. The glow was hopscotching to everyone including Dane replacing boredom with unbridled fury. Wait, why did it skip her?

Sam had about five seconds to duck when a she caught a blur heading right at her in her periphrial. The object turned out to be a calculator thrown by somebodythat beaned a cheerleader in the face. And just like that all hell broke loose.

"You loser!" the girl whirled around and punched the nearest person. Guess who? As she put up her arm to block and return the punch, something yanked her down to the ground, then under her desk. So the punch got Kwan instead. She didn't have time to process her new position before the same force pulled her backward and to the far wall just as the jock tackled the cheeleader and they hit the floor where her head would have been an instant before. The wall met the back of her skull with a sickening thud and the world tilted. It didn't change what she saw though. She wished it had.

The whole class had gone from borderline brain dead zombies to battle royale participant melee in a flash. The teacher had even thrown the projector at a group to busy trying to beat each other sensless by the door to notice. About an inch from the back of Reanna's head it seemed to bounce back and harmlessly smash into expensive pieces on the floor. This only angered the man and he searched for another weapon. He looked up, heavy model of earth in hand, just in time to get two pieced by another student. It was storta funny, except for the blood. Everbody was screaming and attacking anyone at arm's length or throwning distance.

Searching for Danny, she spotted him at his desk seemlingly unaware of the chaos. He was biting his lower lip, eyes lidded as if in a daze. He turned to her slowly. No black pupils. No blue irises. Only a pair of blood red sclera gazed at her and she shivered. Those eyes narrowed and Danny, or what ever that was, rested his chin on the back of his hands, elbows propped up on the desk like he was deep in thought. He mouthed something to her and smirked.

Nighty-night my dark angel.

Then her vision was consumed by red fabric as letterman jacket covered back slammed her into the wall once more. She was now pinned beneath a unconcious Kwan. 'Fuck your're heavy!' her mind screamed. She couldn't move. Or, more importantly breathe!Then angered screams and the sound of shoved desks and chairs bled away into silence, the class room fading to black. A light chuckle following her into forced sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how was part two? Good I hope! Read and review. Each chapter will have a theme that is expressed as a song lyric or title in the begining. Just something I added while listening to Pandora radio as I typed this.


	3. Sad But True

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey. I noticed this story has had major traffic but few reviews. Not too sure how whelmed I feel about that. I do realize not every visitor has an account here so I'm considering opening it up to anonymous review. I plan on at least 8 chapters and possibly a sequel. Since the pool of human DP characters with at least 100 IQ points is a bit shallow, there will be OCs but in background capacity. Feel free to submit names, I'm kinda bad at that when the person only shows up a few times. Or dies before they get much time. 
> 
> Chapter one's song is of course Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down. Chapter two is Riot by Three Days Grace. Next up: Sad But True by Metallica.

 

 

 

Chapter 3

I'm your truth, telling lies

I'm your reasons, alibis

I'm inside open your eyes

I'm you

Sad but true

  
  
  


 

Wha...what is up with that light?

 

A guy was holding open his right eye, shining a small flashlight into it. Searing the poor boy's retina like a laser.

 

"Another concussion. What the hell happened to you kids? Hey, do you know what happened in here? Remember anything at all?"  The man gently helped him sit up.

 

What did happen? I showered then I got dressed for school. Mom made french toast and bacon. Mmm bacon.

 

After that, this guy was in his face. That's not right. He was propped up against a wall at school. When did he get here? How? Well the answer to his question was definitely no.

 

"No."

 

Glass was everywhere. The blackboard was cracked, pieces of it on the floor. There were bent chairs and split desks--nothing was upright. Kids were strewn about , paramedics kneeling over them checking vitals. Several kids were bleeding...did a bomb go off or something?

 

Or something. Heh, heh.

 

Not you. You’re not real!  His eyes grew wide at that laugh. The voice was back.

 

Really Danny you’re being juvenile. You know I’m real. I’m the part of you you won’t except but nevertheless exists. The part keeping you alive.

 

Alive how?

 

We need to feed Danny. Pretending won’t make the hunger go away. Skimming off of your friends is fine on occasion but that isn’t going to cut it long term. Unless you want them dead. That pesky headache is gone, don’t you feel energized now?  Your whole body stopped feeling numb didn’t it?

 

Oh my god! You did this?!

 

We did. You have a choice; get humans to generate energy or take what they have. Twenty-four brawlers or twenty-four corpses were the options since we were in danger of passing out. Again. Aggression is one of the stronger emotions with the least amount of work to get. Fear’s good too. That blonde idiot was very satisfying last month wasn’t he?

 

This isn’t happen--

 

“Gah!” the mental freak out was upstaged by a burning sensation on his forehead.

“Kid calm down. Looks like you caught that chair with your face. You’re gonna have one hell of a shiner and some lumps tomorrow. Don’t sleep on your left side.” the man said as he bandaged Danny’s head.

 

He’d done this. It was horrifying yet...somewhat thrilling. His powers were growing. He could now do something kind of like overshadowing without having to be inside the person. Control their emotions. And it was over way more than one person...

 

That’s it Danny, it’s okay to be excited about a new power; especially if it saves your ass. It’s not exactly control though, more like strong nudging. You tipped over a domino and watched it knock down others in its own way. Emotions can’t be completely controlled. Well, not yet.

 

How do you know this? If you’re really me you shouldn’t have to tell me. You sound like that twisted bastard Dan, how do I know this isn’t a trick or hallucination?

 

I won’t have to if you just get over yourself. All ghosts instinctively know what they need to survive, how to use their powers and don’t whine about how wrong it is. Since you refuse, here I am. I’m still you and I’m not going away. Deal with it.

 

Danny was vaguely aware that he had been moved into an ambulance during his arguement with the voice. Sam was already there, trying to get a female EMT to stop with the oxygen mask.

“I’m fine! That oaf just suffocated me when he got knocked out.”

“Young lady you were without oxygen for some time, just relax.” the woman sighed.

“I said--!” she glanced at Danny and stopped flailing.

 

SNAP! A little plastic mask was placed over her still mouth

 

“There now. Just breathe dear. You’ve got a friend here now so we can leave.”

 

Danny couldn’t take the look in her eyes. Fear shined there, not acerbic wit or confidence. Violet echoing of unease and dread looked at him then at the floor. She drew her knees up to her chest and turned away. The halfa felt his heart drop as the ambulance lurched forward.

 

She’d seen him do what ever it was. No. She saw that thing in his head hurting people to absorb their rage and pain. What was happening to him? How was he going to fix this?!

 

Not this again. Fine. I’ll just go back to sleep. We’re set for a while anyway so there’s no need to be awake. Remember that if you want to keep me quiet, all you have to do is take care of yourself.

 

“Sam, I don’t know what happened. Honest. I don’t even remember getting to school this morning.” he said with earnest. It was only half a lie.

“Danny...our whole class is in the hospital. I know you kept us from getting too badly hurt. I saw the projector bounce off of Deanna like rubber. I know you drug me around like a doll but everyone has severe exhaustion. Why are you doing this? How could you do this to them? How did you?” she whispered so the other occupant could hear. “You keep hiding things from Tucker and I. How long have you had that ability?”

“I don’t know! I’m sorry. I can’t control it, I’ve tried but it gets worse every time. I need help but there’s no one to turn to. I can’t just say I’ve got a sweet tooth for human energy. I’ll be killed or committed.” he sighed. He couldn’t lie to her anymore. What would be the point? She’d seen it. There was no way to make twenty three comatose kids, one comatose teacher and one warzone of a classroom  vanish.

Still that wasn’t entirely true. He was pretty sure of at least one person who knew what he was going through. The fruit loop was that last person he wanted to know about his situation. Somehow though, Danny was certain he already did. That he was just waiting for the confused half dead boy to come running to him in desperation.

 

Fuck. My life is falling apart and it’s all my fault.

  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how am I doing? Read and review people, it’s the only way I’ll know. Remember I need 30 reviews after chapter 5 is up; if you like it tell me. Suggestions are welcome too. The chapters are coming faster than I thought. Hint, Chapter four’s header will be from Shinedown. It’s halfway done and will be twice as long as this one. Til next time. Sirensoundwave out.


	4. Save Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the encouragement guys, especially Laora and ShadowedFang. Please let me know how I can make this better guys. After all, this is sort of a proving ground for me, I have a dream to one day publish an original book (or two ^_^). This story is something that's been rattling around my head since the show ended. Why not start with something I know pretty well? I've decided to continue regardless of reviews. This will drive me nuts if I don't. The writing process is all about improving. No improvement comes from standing still and moping.
> 
>  
> 
> Don't fret, Fans of Foley, he hasn't been forgotten. I do have a reason for writing the first chapters like I did, you’ll see. I like him and yes,he is very much underrated in the fandom.
> 
>  
> 
> Here's chapter four, lead into by Shinedown's Save Me.

 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chapter 4

 

I can hardly remember the look of my own eyes

How can I love this

A life so dishonest

It made me compromise?

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


With nearly thirty victims of one mysterious incident the ER was hectic to say the least. Parents had stormed the place demanding answers. It's perfectly normal for a parent to be upset and impatient when answer aren't clear regarding their precious children. The doctors understood and just accepted it. Though some with behaved with a tad more histrionics than others.

 

Mr. Sanchez wanted to know why his delicate angel was on a cot in the hallway. The hallway! In plain  view, being contaminated by any diseased wretch that happened to amble by. Really, all the people taking up space in rooms couldn't possibly be in as dire straits as his daughter.

 

Her beautiful skin, bleached white as a sheet. Around her face resembled a raccoon, dark and banded from ear to ear. Lovely green eyes now stared blankly at the ceiling with a glazed over look. Now truly a doll, Paulina couldn't move on her own. Couldn't respond to her father's presence in any way. She was a far cry from the heart breaker of Casper High.

 

The Mansons were in Milan on a romantic get away.  Nana, with her skydiving group in Rio. An argument broke out over the timing. Mr. Manson had been under the impression his mother was going to watch Sam. Mrs. Manson accused her husband of getting her hopes up as the 'best Europe's fashion world had to offer' would be unveiled that week. She had to see it first!  The clever old gal had set the trip up at the same time so Sam had a chance to prove she wouldn't burn the mansion down if left alone for a week. For god sakes she was nearly 16!

 

As soon as the maid notified them they all hopped on private jets and would be home by sundown. The runway and open skies took a backseat to the only Manson heir.

 

She wasn't alone though.

 

"You look way better than everybody else. Even Danny's getting stitched up. this must have been one bad ghost." Tucker flopped down in the chair by her bed.

 

He managed to sneak out in the chaos shortly after the wrecked classroom was discovered. School was once again crawling with 'experts' but this time Tucker noticed police there too. Since the mayor kidnapping fiasco, the cops were more content to take a backseat to the heebie-jeebie pros  if it was clearly not a human criminal. What the hell were they doing there?

 

He stuck around long enough to see that the Goons in White leave after announcing the situation bore no ectoplasmic signature. Mr and Mrs Fenton were harder to convince. As far as he knew they were still combing the school with the Fenton Finder 2.5 enhanced to seek out actual ghosts and ectoplasmic 'fingerprints' of ghosts long gone.

 

Sam didn't say anything in response. Her legs swung lazily over the side of the bed for a bit before she kicked them out and got to her feet. Tucker couldn't remember Sam Manson ever looking so... lost.

 

"Tuck, it was a ghost but...it was Danny. He did this."

 

Tucker raised a brow at that.  She couldn't be serious. Yeah she had to be joking. Danny's a good guy.

 

The way she found the floor more interesting than his reaction made him uncomfortable. Sam's jokes weren't like that. They were more edgy and clever. Less likely to make you question her sanity.

 

"I’ll explain I just...I just gotta get out of this place." Leaving no room for objection the goth girl grabbed him and off they went.  With ninja stealth they evaded staff and made it to the main hospital lobby. It smelled less like disinfectant and wasn't full of worried family members. The duo blended in while Sam recounted her suspicions, what she saw and what he had told her in the ambulance. Tucker let her ramble , she needed to vent. Who elseI could she talk to?  The more she told him the more if her he could see remind him of a little girl. Scared and vulnerable. This was too surreal.

 

"Say something!" She finally demanded having run out of things to say. He steeled himself and drew in a calm even breath. He had to at least seem like he had it together.  The grounded one of the group was a step away from bawling her eyes out.

 

You can do this Foley. He thought to himself. Have your usual neurotic overraction later, Sam needs you. She's always savin' your ass, return the favor.

 

"Sam I think, I think that Danny needs help. It sounds like he can't control this craving for energy. That site you found basically said he needs it." he turned to her putting a hand on her shoulder."I think he's trying so hard to deny it that subconsciously his body is doing what it has to just to keep from wasting away. If that's true there has to be a way to live with it.  Vlad looks pretty healthy for a 40 something guy who’s half dead." Foley afforded her a chuckle and prayed that it didn't sound forced.

 

Sam was quiet again and they walked the rest of the way to the parking lot in silence. Hoping that the rare display of cool worked the be-speckled boy was grateful for the pause and allowed himself to deflate ever  so slightly. If they didn’t stop talking, he wasn’t too sure he could stay positive. For all they knew, Masters had several employees who just never went home one day over the years. What was the missing person rate in cheese country anyway?

  
  


Back in the center ring of the circus, Jazz sat with Danny. They too had been talking. Rather he had been sullenly recalling the last few months and she tried her best to be comforting. She knew her parents idea of looking out for them was tracking down and destroying the cause of the situation. It was just how they were. Once she told them Danny wasn’t a zombie, they told her to stay with him. It was better that they weren’t there though. At least right now.

 

"Danny your body is changing in more ways than one. This, well... problem could be the result of stress or a kind of ghost puberty."

 

"Jazz, there's a voice in my head telling me horrible things that sounds a lot like my evil future self. I caused my class to loose their fucking minds and nearly kill each other to so I could absorb the energy they released. I couldn't stop. All I could think about how good it felt, the rush it gave me. Sam-- oh shit she saw everything! She thinks I’m a monster!" Danny's grip on the sheets tightened. The sound of threads tearing was over shadowed by the sound of hyperventilating. Incoherent babbling spouted from her brother like water from a tap.

  
  


"Wait she's awake? You mean she didn’t go all Mortal Kombat?" Jazz perked up at that. How had he left it out?Maybe whatever this was Danny had fought it. It was something small but could be significant. Now all she had to do was get him to slow down. "Danny--"

 

"I almost killed all those people-"

 

"Danny calm down--"

 

"I'm turning into even more of a freak everyday!"

 

"Take a breath for--"

 

"Is this how it starts...maybe I do still become him holy sh--!"

 

POW!

 

Danny blinked at his sister.

 

The red head had a vein doing the cha-cha on her forehead and her left eye was doing a great impression of a faulty camera shutter. Tiny fist clenched, arm crossed over the other side of her body. The right side of his face hurt like a bitch.

 

"You hit me..." He was stunned.

 

Jazz had hit him before obviously. What siblings didn't get physical with their disagreements sometime? Still that was like when they were playing or just annoyed at the other. It was never with the intent to harm the other. Not badly any how. Right now though the pain in his jaw was probably what it felt like taking that chair to the face that he didn't seem to remember.

 

"Get over it and calm down! Breathe!” She huffed. That was a bit drastic, she sort of startled herself. Closing her eyes, she smoothed out her hair.”Now, what did Sam say? It's important."

 

"...she said my eyes were red. That I somehow moved her out of the way but didn't wind her up like everbody else." He paused unsure of his own voice. Danny put his head in his hands mindful of the lumps and the 5 stitches near his left temple. "I swear I don't remember things just feelings. Tired then numb and desperate. Then so good, so high. I don't know what I did after breakfast and before there was some guy burning a hole my brain with a flashlight."

  
  


Jazz knew that anytime red eyes were involved it wasn't really Danny. Something had to be controlling him. This voice only strengthen that possibility. He doesn't remember doing anything but he felt the end result. Maybe it's some ghostly parasite using him as a host.

 

"Danny, I think it's time we talked to someone who knows more about ghostly biology than we do."

 

"Why Jasmine, I was just about to suggest the very same thing.”

  
  


 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! Nearly 2000 words! (Pats self on back). Well, enter the pompous fruitloop. What’s his angle? Find out soon. Next up, David Draiman’s contribution to the Queen of the Damned soundtrack. Sirensoundwave out.


	5. Forsaken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is doing better than I thought. He's finally here, the Fruit Loop. Appropriately, Forsaken is his intro. It is sung by Johnathan Davis (Korn) and David Draiman (Disturbed). Not together though, there are two versions on the soundtrack album reissue but John wrote it . Didn't know that? It's okay. I do recommend that you hear either version of it just to get a feel for the atmosphere. Actually, its not a bad idea to do so with all the chapter titles.
> 
>  
> 
> Fairwarning: This chapter is a little more intense than the other ones. More blood, violence and, well, creepiness.

 

  
  


Chapter 5

You feel them finding, always whining

Take my hand, now be alive

You see I cannot be forsaken Because I’m not the only one

We walk amongst you feeding,raping

Must we hide from everyone?

  
  
  
  
  


The room was deathly quiet.  Danny and Jazz were on one side of the room glaring daggers at the man in the doorway. Black suit, red bollo, long gray pony tail. The mayor of Amity Park entered and closed the door, leaning against it slightly.

 

"Why are you here Vlad?" Danny asked with as much malice as he could muster. He didn't sound too threatening though. What with a jacked up face and all..

 

"Doing damage control after your, shall we say, binge at school. This is the second time in as many months Daniel. Are you trying to expose yourself?" the older hybrid matched their glares.

 

"What are you talking about Plasmius? Leave." Jazz stood closer to her brother. Masters rolled his eyes.

 

"Oh please. I don't believe I was speaking to you young lady. I've seen your handiwork little badger. This wing is full of children so thoroughly drained they couldn't even close their eyes before going under. You must have been near enough to oblivion to act out of instinct if you can't even remember what you did." He crossed his arms over his chest.

 

"It have no idea what you're yammering about ya crazed up fruit loop! Go away!" Danny snapped. "Since when are you interested in helping me -- I mean uh if I had done anything."

 

"Since your ability to handle this on your own became nonexistent. How long do you think it will be beforeyou make mistake that gets you noticed? This room isn't as private as you two thought. Standing on the other side I heard you both quite well. "

 

"..."

 

"You are correct Jasmine, Daniel's age is a factor though I did not expect him have such a voracious appetite so soon. As such I have somethings to discuss with you." Vlad began to walk towards Jazz who was the closer one to him. In an instant Danny was on guard whitish blue rings forming about his waist.

 

"Fuck off..." this time the venom was very evident. His voice was low and reminiscent of a snake's hiss. Shocking himself, he turned away only to look into the mirror over the sink. The familiar neon green of Phantom's eyes were now tinged red like a film had been placed over them. He let the transformation reverse, concentration broken. Blue eyes blinked in confusion.

 

By this time the older man had stopped. Jazz, unsure of what was happening still stood her ground. She was ready to fire the wrist ray she wore disguised as a watch.She just wasn't certain who she would have to shoot though. She hoped it would be the older man. He wore that infuriating smirk as he surveyed young boy.

 

"Notice anything different Daniel? Wasn't you face in pain a moment ago?"

 

Danny touched what should have been his broken nose. To his horror there was no pain. He leapt off the bed but his legs did not fully comply. In true Fenton style, the boy windmilled his arms in a vain attempt  to stay upright.  His hands caught the edge of the sink preventing a complete fall and preserving some dignity.

 

With great difficulty, he pulled himself up to see his reflection. Skin unmarred by scraps and eyes clear of bruises and swelling stared back at him. He looked like he had just woken up from a refreshing nap.

 

"Remarkable isn't it? You didn't even try to heal yourself. Just imagine what more you could do with actual effort. And guidance." Masters laughed lightly.

 

"I don't want any help from you! You're a whack job that's been trying to recruit me from day one and kill my dad so you could have my mother for yourself. Which is still gross by the way!" He screamed. That insufferable smirk never wavered. He simply shook his head and walked up behind him.

  
  


"Sooner or later you must come to accept things as they are dear boy. Your denial will make it that much more painful for all involved. If Miss Manson's state is anything to go on..." he trailed off.

 

"What did you do to her?!"

 

"Nothing." He leaned closer, close enough for Danny to feel the older man's breath ghost over the shell if his ear. He stared into the boy's eyes via reflection on the wall. "I'm not the one who tossed her about like a rag-doll then smiled as she suffocated. Nor did I force those I claim to protect, so called innocents, to go mad and rip each other apart to fuel my existence."

 

"Sh--shut up."

 

"She left here without you. Did you know that? All her confidence in you bled away, replaced by fear and revulsion. Young Mr. Foley was doing his best to console her last I saw. Don't you want to be the one to comfort her? How can you when you can't even comfort yourself?"

 

"Danny don't listen to him! He's just messing with you." Jazz fumed. "Just because he said that doesn't make it true. Leave Masters. This hurts way worse than before you bastard." Her wrist was aimed at him, the mini gun rose out of the face of the watch. Her finger on the trigger. "Don't make me use this."

 

"Quiet dear were discussing business."

 

"Eeek! Let m--Mmmph!" she squealed when neon pink energy rings snapped her  arms to her  chest. When she tried to scream a third materialized around the lower part of her face. As she struggled Jazz fell onto the bed furious. Vlad didn't even turn around and she was wrapped up like a present!

 

Danny saw everything just behind Masters' reflection. He noticed he himself was emitting a soft pink aura. His body would not obey him, he was frozen in place. He struggled yet was unable to even turn his head. Jazz needed help and he was having a staring contest with his nemesis. The fruit loop wasn't even touching him!

 

"Think of all the power you have inside you Daniel. All those abilities and no instruction manual. You develop new ones quite often yet only when you have no other recourse and all seems lost. Like the deus ex machina of Greek theater. Or as teens these days would say 'pulling them out of your ass'."

 

Vlad backed away but the force keeping him still did no lessen. The older man was at the door before he turned and called over his shoulder to the two.

 

“Just remember children, I can only spin this so much. I’ll be waiting Little Badger. Your oaf of a father has my number I’m sure. Until then.”

 

The door closed and Danny lost his balance. As he had been trying to force himself away from the sink,  he managed to throw himself onto the floor ass first. Jazz popped up off of the bed to help him just as a special report showed on the television.

 

//I’m here now at the site of the catastrophe. Channel 11 just received word that the mysterious happenings at Casper High are related to the release of a stolen chemical agent. This compound code named RT3, is highly reactive to the human nervous system. Students have experienced bouts of rage which culminated into extreme violence, exhaustion and finally a coma like state. Stay tuned for more details. This is Diane Clark reporting.//

 


	6. Hit the Floor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sup. One of my patients passed away this month. So between helping the family with her homegoing and dealing with it myself, I haven't been up to writing for awhile. This chapter was actually finished days ago.
> 
>  
> 
> Enough depressing news! Much love to everybody who's been with me so far (^_^). Someone asked why I chose that song for ch 5 and I've been told that I made Vlad kinda creepy. Totally the point. 'Forsaken' is not a cutesy song. It's about the dark connection between two kindred spirits (yeah, pun again...shut up) and being unable to deny it. He did tell Danny that he will eventually have to accept the way things are. This chapter will be more about explainations and introducing an original character.The next chapter will have more action. Linkin Park with Hit The Floor leads the way.
> 
>  
> 
> Oh, there is another song hidden in this chapter, and I think it fits quite well. Digital cookies to anyone that finds it and can tell me who sang it. Let’s go!

 

 

 

 

Chapter 6

One minute you're up top

[The next you're not] [Watch it drop]

Making your heart stop

[Just before you hit the floor]

One minute you're up top

[The next you're not] [Missed your shot]

Making your heart stop

[You think you won]

And then it's all gone

 

Valerie sat in the auditorium with the rest of the school scowling. The building was 30 years old ergo, not designed to hold so many students in any one area. The walls and isles were lined with kids unable to get a seat. The overflow reach up and onto the stage leaving a narrow passage for whoever might come to the podium. She herself was on the floor in front of the stage; Mrs. Buscheman's history class was one of the last to arrive. So she had wadded up her orange hoodie and hoped it didn't get too dirty acting as a barrier between the grimey carpet and her new jeans. Being that the maroon carpeting was really supposed to be red, she knew it would have to soak in stain fighter for days.

 

"Attention students. As you know, there has been an accident in the building and several of your classmates have been hospitalized. Because of the nature of this incident the school and all in it must be quarantined. Do not be alarmed. There is a simple, painless test that must be performed on everyone here before they are permitted to leave." Mr. Zimmerman, the principal cleared his throat. "Those who do not pass the initial screening will remain on campus until they are treated."

 

Murmurs in stereo sounded from the student body. That would take forever! What does he mean treated? Valerie looked around but every one seemed fine. What kind of disease was this? Pushing those thoughts aside for a moment, she took out her cell phone scanning the local news app.

 

According to Channel 11, a nut job broke into the restored Axiom Labs and stole an experimental chemical agent called RT3. It was intended as a treatment for types of brain and nerve damage which stemmed from lack of transmission between neurons. Axiom had to deal with the side effects first though. It caused aggressive, violent behavior because it over stimulated the nervous system. So much so that it caused rats to become strong enough to bend the walls of their cages by throwing their bodies at the bars.Then the animals would seize before falling into a coma for days on end before waking up and acting normal. The scary part was that 60% of them died from cerebral hemorrhage shortly after waking up.

 

She gasped after reading it. What sicko would release something like that into a school?! Dash had his episode almost a month ago...was he some kind of test for something bigger?

The bulletin went onto explain that a counteractive treatment was available but only effective during a 6 hour window after initial exposure. Since symptoms don't show up until after 3 hours, the school was pretty much a MMA cage match waiting to happen. She was so engrossed in the news report that she did not hear the instructions. Nor did she see the invisible figure lightly touching other distracted kids and faculty on the back with a rubber stamper. Then again, it was invisible so no one else noticed either.

  
  


Meanwhile, Vlad sat in his limousine lazily sloshing a bit of brandy around his glass. He knew that he probably came off like a depraved bastard to the Fenton kids but he couldn't bring himself to care. Daniel, as he was now, was dangerous. Even to himself. The boy's denial had caused a schism in his psyche. The 'voice' he would hear was nothing more than another persona that was formed from the rejection of his nature as a ghost.

 

This was bad in so many ways. However the only one that mattered to him was that Danny was equal to if not greater than him in power. The boy's age and lack of experience hindered him in battle though. It seemed the other persona was slowly gaining control. This...other Danny knew exactly how to access abilities the real Danny had only seen other ghosts use. He needed to snap the boy out of it. Fast. Transforming seemed to bring Other Danny front and center.

 

That had been the purpose of holding him in place. Vlad took a big risk pissing him off like that. The billionaire was lucky Other Danny was restrained by the Real Danny long enough for him to trap the boy. It would seem as though the boy's other side was only strong enough to manifest fully when he was in danger of starving.  For the time being at least.

 

"I wonder..." he downed the last of his drink just as his breast pocket vibrated. He checked the caller ID causing him to scowl. An annoyingly peppy voice chirped out the ringtone.

 

//Ring ring ring! Ring ring ring! Phone call! Phone call! Ring ring ring! Ring ring ring!//

 

There was no number only a picture golden butterfly flapping. He certainly hadn't programmed any thing so...irritating or sparkly into the blasted thing. Must have been a bored hacker. He pressed ignore.

 

The voice stopped and he tossed it aside reaching the decanter. He started to refill just in time for it light up and ring again. This time it displayed a message with the cutesy tone.

 

(Answer me. Or else)

 

The message danced across the screen in shimmering rainbow colors complete with smiley emoticons. He knew exactly who it was now.

 

"What do you want?" Vlad snapped at the caller on the other end.

 

//Temper, temper.// the caller giggled. //You know exactly what I called for Vladamir.//

 

Still sounding oh so innocent.

Right. And he was a buttered biscuit.

 

"I have no desire to deal with you madame. Our business  concluded when last we met."

 

//Awe, going senile on me? Our deal was that I would leave you be only if you stopped trying to mess with the natural order. Skeleton Key,Pariah Dark, ringing any bells?//

 

"It's the natural order for ghosts to desire power. The same is true of mankind. I simply have the best of both world." His ego faltered  a bit at having been called senile.

 

//No, you're simply a greedy little bastard who will get what he deserves when all is said and done.// Vlad could practically see her twirling one of her many braids as she lilted her voice.

//I'm watching you.//

The line went dead and Masters growled. He hated that woman or whatever she was with a passion. Still a nosy, meddlesome wench.

 

He met her some years after his own partial death. She claimed to be a Chaos Mage. One who 'facilitates the natural order of the world through chaos'. He had no idea what she meant then nor did he now. Most of what she said made no sense to him. All he could be sure of was she'd been a pain in his ass for nearly two decades. Without her interference, he probably would be the ruler of both worlds by now.

 

Flashback

Fourteen years ago

 

"Why  do you constantly meddle in my plans?!" 28 year old Plasmius raged, his anger having triggered the transformation. His latest business venture fell through thanks to a pair of golden eyes now leveled at him in a blank stare. A small young woman with long black hair and cafe au lait skin sat on the edge of his desk as if she owned it. Totally unconcerned by the scary looking creature clearly wanting to murder her.

 

Were he successful, he would now be the head of the nation's largest research laboratory, merging with Paradigm Industries under his own company name Dalv Co.  As it stood, he was 15 million short of the bid made by Axiom. Along comes that...that she devil! The trollop posed as the Vice CEO of Axiom knowing exactly what Vlad was able to bid at the time. Her counter bid of 48.5 million dollars sank him like a torpedo.

 

"Boredom? " golden orbs rolled. "I've told you before, there is no one in this universe to balance you out. Until there is, you're stuck with me. Deal with it. Or..."

 

"Or?"

 

"Or we compromise. You stop trying to control every little thing, I stay away. Sound fair?"

 

"It does. But exactly what constitutes 'controlling every little thing' and 'staying away'.  You have a habit of being somewhat vague." And manipulative, irritating, conniving...

 

"Life is vague. I can't give you all the answers, what kind of test would that be Vladimir? You know right from wrong. Just most of the time you don't really care."

 

"For once give me a straight answer! These riddles are irksome woman!" He slammed his fist on the desk. His frustration was very apparent. He'd begun to turn an interesting shade of red. "You've been a thorn in my side for 6 years. What the hell do you want from me?!!"

 

" You'll have an aneurysm if you keep it up. No one person or group regardless of intentions has the right to impose their will on everyone else. Free will makes the world go 'round. It's why utopias never rise and empires always fall." the young girl yawned.

 

"Aren't your own actions in conflict with what you just said?" Vlad growled . Migraine ahoy.

 

"Why Vladimir, what ever gave you the notion that was merely a person?" With that, she vanished in a swirl of golden butterflies. He slammed his head onto the mahogany desk in exasperation.

 

Present

She drove him to drink. She had a knack for showing her face just long enough to screw him over before disappearing like nothing happened. What she did never had any rhyme or reason; getting her to tell him anything useful was like pulling teeth. Usually his own.

 

But he hadn't heard that giggle since that day. Over the last few years his pursuits had escalated beyond a mere hostile takeover without a peep from the little witch. So he pretty much forgot about her.

 

What does she want now?

 

The glass was forgotten as he drank straight from the decanter. Now he had two problems and wasn't too sure which was the greater threat. Then he remembered something... important he had almost forgotten.

 

This go around,, I will not be a slave to your whims. Things change if given time my dear.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: According to the timeline of this story, Vlad had the ecto-acne exposure when he was 22. These events take place 2 years after Danny gets his powers. Meaning the fruit loop is 44 in the current time period; Jack and Maddie are around the same age. Team Phantom and classmates are around 16. Jazz is 18 and out of high school (which is why she is not stuck in the auditorium with Valerie).
> 
>  
> 
> Just who was calling Vlad and what is her involvement with current events?No she is not a Mary Sue and yes she is important. Chapter 7 will include more about Sam, Tucker and the Fenton family. As well as shed some light on what’s going on at Casper High. Next in the que is either Adema, Disturbed or Avenged Sevenfold. Sirensoundwave out.


	7. Voices

 

 

Chapter 7

 

I can hear the voice

But I don't want to listen

Strap me down and tell me I'll be alright

 

I can feel the subliminal need

To be one with the voice

And make everything alright

  
  


It had been about half an hour since Vlad left. Their parents were on the way and Jazz had gone to get some lunch since both missed out. Danny could not be released until legal guardians signed him out. So he lay on the bed asleep. Well he looked asleep. Really he was meditating.

 

For the last year or so, he had been watching the anime Bleach and become fascinated by the idea of an inner world. So, he tried focusing on a place to call his own when he meditated. At first all he could picture was a void. No light, no sound, no sense of depth, no sense of direction. It was oddly comforting.

 

Over time, a forest blanketed in snow and ice formed. That then expanded to include a meadow populated by huge columns and six foot wide free floating mirrors all of ornate designs from many eras and lands. They simply lay horizontal to the snowy ground about 3 ft in the air. His own winter wonderland made entirely of eternal ice. Why not? It was his element.

 

The mirrors acted as windows to memories, dreams, thoughts, etc. He could easily retrieve them for later analysis. Came in handy when studying. Or testing. It wasn't  cheating if he was looking up answers imprinted on his own mind. Almost like photographic memory only more complicated to access.

 

In this place, there was a portion of the forest/meadow that was shrouded in mist. The mirrors there were opaque, trees had bare limbs. The columns were slanted and looked more like spires tapering to a point on top with thin thorned vines wrapped around them. Everything in the mist was made of black iridescent onyx in contrast to the  diamond everywhere else. He once tried to look into one of the dark panes. It didn’t even reflect his image despite being smooth and polished. Nothing happened when he touched it either.

 

Later he understood these were  windows to the times he blacked out and couldn't remember the things he did. When the voice was in control. His other self. No! That wasn’t him. He refused to believe such a thing.

 

He sat down in the snow beside the stream and gazed in. It’s waters frozen, yet they flowed like canvas of moving stars. He felt the ground under him but no sense of cold. That was normal in his inner world. Soothing.

 

We should have put him in his place.

 

He whipped around to come face to face with...Phantom? He was leaning against a black column looking pretty pissed. It looked like his ghostly form yet it sounded like...blue eyes narrowed.

 

I thought you were going to sleep. How come he’d never seen the voice before? He wasn't too pleased that his mind chose to manifest the thing tormenting him as his heroic alter ego. The fact that his right eye was green and the left red leveled up the creep factor.

 

I was. Then that pompous fucker showed up. What Plasmius needs is an ice blast to the ass. Why did you stop me? Other Danny folded his arms across his chest. He could have hurt our sister.

 

Great, now I'm talking to the voice in my head. That look like my ghost half. I've officially cracked. Danny stood, ready in case of some attack.Ah, what the hell. Cuz when you take control bad things happen. She’s my sister. Not yours. Since when do you care about her or...anyone for that matter?

 

Are we back to this? Bad things happen when we're starving dolt. We can't protect anyone face down on the floor too weak to move.What will it take for you to accept what you are? What we are?

  
  


A parasite? Never. YOU’RE NOT ME! Waves of sound amplified by anger escaped Danny’s lungs in the form of that declaration. Other Danny simply rolled his mismatched eyes and held up a hand. To Danny’s absolute horror, the Ghostly Wail rebounded off of a green shield and tossed him clear across the river and into a tree. Snow shaken from the leaves fell onto him. What the hell?!

 

I’m the part of you with more control over our powers. The double paused then smiled deviously. He floated to his dazed alternate.

 

Danny tried to crawl away. He was fairly certain his spine was injured; moving caused him to cry out in agony. This is my mind! How can I get hurt here?!

 

Simple. By hurting yourself. Don't you deserve a rest? You fight so hard Danny. To protect others. To hide your pain. To stay sane. Everyday you fight desperately to hold  us together ...yet keep us apart. You have to stop hurting yourself. The double knelt beside him, sliding a gloved hand under the back of Danny's shirt. The pain began to dull. Feel better at the touch. He froze when the hand became two fingers gently tracing along his backbone.

 

OH HELL NO! He panicked. He was officially fucked in the head. Why would he imagine something like this? His sense of urgency renewed, Danny once again tried to get away. That laugh made him cringe.

 

A weight settled over his back. It should have hurt like hell. Instead he was confused by the fact that it felt nice. Calming... Something cold pressed against his cheek. Other Danny's face nuzzled it. He should have shivered. But he didn't. He merely lay there as his evil self covered Danny's body with his own. Spandex material easily glided down his bare arms so gloved hands could weave their fingers together.

 

Isn't this feeling what you want? We aren't meant to be apart Danny. The longer we are, the more warped this world becomes. The mist is spreading, making everything it touches black. I know you’ve noticed it.

 

Despite how bizarre it was, Danny couldn't bring himself to shake his demented other self off. He didn't want to admit it but he did feel better than he had in almost two years laying like this.

Was this part of him really so bad? This sensation of calm is what he yearned for! How could this be wrong? Suddenly his eyelids were to heavy. His now hazy thoughts were of how soft the ground seemed. How much of a relief it was to finally relax. As his eyes closed to slits, he could have sworn he saw a dot of gold wafting in the distance. Weird...where’d the butterfly come from?

 

That's it.  It's okay to sleep. I'll take care of everything. Was whispered in his ear.

 

The young halfa was dimly aware of being carried then lain somewhere. The hard surface under him seemed to ripple then he was sinking slowly into something thick like syrup or pudding. Alarm bells went off as he struggled to sit up. It only caused him to sink fastest.

 

The last thing he saw happened to be Other Danny's manic smile, Christmas colored eyes gleaming as he rested one hand on the surface of the looking glass Danny was now trapped within. That weird gold dot hovered above the doppelganger’s head then winked out of existence and Danny knew no more.

  
  
  
  


 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bwhahahaaaa! What happens now that Other Danny has the real Danny trapped? I want to keep chapters consistent with their titles, that why it’s so short. It started off originally with Jack and Maddie going over their findings. Next up will be either Ateryu, Tool or Seether. Stay tuned, Sirensoundwave out.


	8. Fake It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You’re still here?Like...oh my god. I feel so special ^_^ !!!
> 
>  
> 
> AN: According to the timeline of this story, Vlad had the ecto-acne exposure when he was 22. These events take place 2 years after Danny gets his powers. Meaning the fruit loop is 44 in the current time period; Jack and Maddie are around the same age. Team Phantom and classmates are around 16. Jazz is 18 and out of high school (which is why she is not stuck in the auditorium with Valerie). Everything after chapter one so far has happened in the same day.
> 
>  
> 
> There isn’t much else to say so on with the story, lead in by Seether’s Fake It. Enjoy.

 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chapter 8

 

Fake it if your out of direction

Fake it if you don't belong here

Fake it if you feel like an infection

Whoa, your such a fucking hypocrite

 

I can fake with the best of anyone

I can fake with the best of ’em all

I can fake it with the best of anyone

I can fake it all...!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Once back in his office, Masters glared daggers at his desk surface. Despite the fact that he ran for and was elected by less than scrupulous reasons, the Mayor of Amity Park could not escape what every elected official must contend with. Paper work, red tape and the headaches they bring.

 

In all honesty, there were days Vlad considered having his minions simply overshadow the whole damn town so he could do as he pleased. It would be less effort really. No committees to approve or reject his proposals. No more town hall meetings to give his constituents a voice. No one to question his authority. No one trying to look over his shoulder and expose some scandal; real or imagined.

 

But no, something always pushed that thought away. It could be argued that deep down, the billionaire knew turning innocent people into mindless slaves was wrong. That he simply had a heart two sizes too small but a heart none the less. That same argument could also be blown out of the water once the 3 M's of his success were examined; money, manipulation and murder. There was no problem he ever encountered that couldn't be solved with one or more of these tactics. None except for her. The being who called herself Sylphine.

 

After their friendly little chat, he realized that many things he could have done over the years were hindered by the fact that somewhere, in the back of his mind, he still knew she was a threat; even if he couldn't recall why.

 

He found it ironic though. She was the one who set him on course to controlling his abilities. First appearing in his dreams as a small child, warning him that the red eyed thing he kept seeing wasn't a hallucination. Later she took the form of a fellow student in need of a chemistry tutor. She wore the same golden butterfly bracelet and a symbol he couldn’t quite remember in both guises.

 

And yet she also became a handicap. The pink elephant in the room he spent 16 years ignoring simply because it remained quiet. Well 'ignore' was a stretch. More like refused to make direct eye contact with while he loaded his elephant gun. This gun took the form of a Mosaic puzzle cube missing only 2 pieces. An ancient item of power he spent 15 years piecing together.  On the surface, it seemed like a new aged art piece that was being used as paper weight on his desk. In reality each piece got him closer to absolute rule over both worlds. Soon she would be his puppet for a change.

 

Resisting the urge to cackle like a madman, Vlad put down his pen and thought of his other obstacle. Daniel's deteriorating sanity. The boy's demented other self was rapidly gaining ground to the point that he was able to force his way to the surface more often.

 

If he and Daniel were as alike as he suspected, that splinter persona was fighting tooth and nail to be the dominant one. The same thing happened to him 20 years ago. He thought he was loosing his marbles when his refection morphed into his ghost self and demanded that he drain the life force out of that hard nosed lawyer spouting worsening news at him on his sofa. Oblivious to the danger, the attorney began to rifle around  in his briefcase as he told the shocked young man of his reasons for coming.

 

The man, Thomas Centre, had appeared at Vlad's apartment to inform him that his mother and younger sister had passed away in a boating accident. Financial support from his father was to cease at the end of the semester. In 3 days. His bastard of a father was liquidating many of the Masters family assets and had demoted him in the family will. In the event of his death all assets were to go to a Ms. Viola Desun-Masters. The harlot his father would later bring to his beloved mother and sister's funeral. He had replaced his mother with his personal assistant the day her death certificate was a matter of record.

 

Of course that set him off. That was the day he truly died inside; his humanity left him in all but name. All he really remembered after that was something inside him broke and could never be fixed. When he regained his faculties, Centre was a pale corpse crumpled on his floor. He got to hide his first body.

 

Not long after though, his father and stepmother (who was younger than him) suddenly had a change of heart. As well as an 'accident' of their own. It involved his prized Jaguar convertible, a steep hill and a faulty (cough*cut*cough) break line. Ah, fond memories...

 

Joking aside he did have a serious problem. Other Danny did not like him. Other Danny was extremely volatile. Other Danny didn't have an outside entity holding him back until the more stable one was able to suppress him on his own.  A  mentally fragile 16 year old was all that stood between Amity and all manner of bad things. Even with his own impressive range of powers, he had no experience with improving mental conditions. Making them worse? Oh, he was all over that. If he didn't complete his secret weapon soon the world was going to hell in a hand basket.

 

A strong gust of wind interrupted his thoughts, blowing the contents of the in and out boxes onto the floor in a heap. He heard the wind-chime his secretary had hung from his window to 'add a little whimsy' jingle. A scowl crossed his face as he muttered to himself.

 

Vlad swiveled his chair to close the window only to pause and blink owlishly. It was never open.

  
  
  
  


Maddie just couldn't understand it.

 

She removed her goggles to inspect the readings with out the red tint. It didn't help. The data didn't change.

 

She knew the RT3 story didn't hold water despite several students testing positive for the chemical. Her sister had been on the team that originally discovered it's potential. It wasn't nearly as dangerous as they were purporting it to be. Yes, the Spitoon resident held several degrees including biochemistry, neurobiology and horticulture. The divorce changed her outlook on life a bit....

 

Fine, like a lot.

 

The GIW, whom she and Jack both considered well meaning imbeciles, did not have equipment sensitive enough to detect that this was a spectral occurrence. The room the riot occurred in bore a ghostly signature that chilled her to the core. It was only generated by omega level entities and therefore rarely encountered even by seasoned ghost hunters.

 

There was a scale of paranormal manifestations and surprisingly alphas were considered the least threatening. The scale included every letter of the Greek alphabet using every 6th letter as primary markers. Alphas were almost zeros. Ghosts closer to zeta were more dangerous but not by much; they and spooks around the mu range were the ones most documented in hauntings as they were able to affect the physical plane in varying degrees. Sigma ghosts were worse but omegas were the worst. Because they were so rare and powerful, it was unknown how humans could stop them  permanently. Slow down, agitate or weaken yes but they always came back. She had heard that magic could trap them once. Being a scientist she couldn't even entertain that notion.

 

The only creatures on this level the Fentons ever recorded were the ones that tried to take over city on Halloween and Christmas two years ago, the Wisconsin Ghost and of course Phantom. As far as she knew the holiday ones were destroyed. That only left two.

 

What frightened her more was the fact that Phantom had grown from a mu to an omega in such a short time. Phantom had destroyed the invading ghosts himself. Probably because Amity is his territory. Why did he allow the Wisconsin ghost to roam free? Other ghost he drove away or obliterated.

 

Whatever the case, it couldn't be good. Each day he got a little stronger.

 

Jack had the sense to scan the Baxter boy with the Fenton Finder 2.5. The signature clung to the boy like ectoplasm sticks to a wall. Other than that he seemed fine but Maddie knew he wasn't. Ghosts leave their mark on people places and things they considered theirs. That they had a use for later. Jack's theory that it was using the teen as some sort of host was possible but Dash was in the gym when the disturbance occurred. More than likely those rushed to the hospital had the same ghostly fingerprints. It could be creating sleepers, it's own minions it could activate when ready to strike. Otherwise normal humans that could be made into killers with a finger snap.

 

"We've got to get to the hospital now! Danny and Jazz are in danger!" She called to her husband. A second later she was tossed into the side of the RV as Jack channeled Dale Earnhart Sr. Much to the ire of everyone in the two lanes he cut across sans turn signal.

 

Well, she was a little right but a lot wrong.

 

Tucker kicked the same rock he had been kicking for 3 blocks. He and Sam had been walking in uncomfortable silence for sometime. He wasn't sure where they were going but he was damn sure Sam didn't either. His thoughts on what to do were interrupted by a pitiful yelp.

 

"Somebody help!"

 

A small girl was hanging upside down on a fence outside a construction site. Her shoe must have gotten stuck on the exposed links on top. Her rainbow striped tights dotted with little spirals were ripped up. One of her brown Mary Jane's rested on the opposite side of the fence. It was a good thing that her denim jumper was a skort not a dress. The pleated skirt was over her head; a mop of black braids with golden beads dangled beside her arms. It looked quite comical.

 

So when Tucker's initial snort became chuckles, Sam popped him on the side if his head and frowned.

 

"Ass. Help me get her down."

 

Embarassed, Tucker held the girl steady as Sam untangled her shoe and tights from the wire. Or rather tried.

 

"Whoa! Tuck don't--!"

 

"Eep!" The child squealed when the techie's lack of upper body strength caused the three of them to fall into a heap.

 

"Ow..." Tucker's groan was muffled by his friend's shirt. Surprisingly, the little girl landed on top of them no worse than before.

 

"Thank you so much!" The girl scrambled to her feet and helped Sam up.

 

"I'm fine thanks." Tucker grumbled as he got up unassisted. "What happened kid? What are you doing out here alone? Shouldn't you be in school?"

 

"I'm a big girl! My mama is sick. I was bringing her flowers and cookies I made with my daddy. My school has a holiday today. But this big dog chased me! I ran through there but I slipped...it's

really greasey on top." She started to sniffle.

 

"Don't cry. That dog's long gone." Tucker offered the girl a tissue.

 

"But my special tights are all ripped up. Mama made them for me. The swirls mean the same thing as my name." She wiped the black gunk off of her hands then blew her nose.

 

Sam looked closly at the pattern. They were tightly coiled spirals in groups of three. They did not touch but were arranged close together so they looked like they made up a circle. The designs were gold stitches on the multicolor fabric.

 

Where have I...oh yeah. That's a magic symbol for wind or air. The goth girl blinked.

 

"Your name means squiggle?" Trying to lighten the mood, Tuck made an exaggerated expression of surprise. The girl giggled and flashed a smile. The sound reminded the teens of bells in the wind.

 

"No silly! It means 'of the wind sprites'.  I'm Sylphine! What's your name?"

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, what do you guys think? Now you know what Jack and Maddie have been up to. Plus there’s more about Vlad and Syphine’s past. Other Danny reveals a bit about his goals (he’s psychotic but he has reasons for his behavior),Danny drifts in the abyss of his own mind and Valerie makes a shocking discovery next chapter to the tune of Three Days Grace, Tool or Korn. Until then Sirensoundwave,out.


	9. The Pot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ookay. I have realized the docX system seems fond of eating the spaces between my paragraphs. So line breaks will be announced like this +-+-+-+-.
> 
>  
> 
> So this chapter is named after a Tool song, not weed. It's sad that had to be pointed out. Some of my friends and family are dumb-asses. Then again I am the only one who listens to rock (and for some time I had no idea who T. I. or Chris Brown was. No lie... shut up). I just can't get into the supposed music of my people i.e. rap, hip hop, R&B. I just relate more to Disturbed, Nirvana, and Korn than...hmm I really don't know who my little cousins listen to. I hear it all the time but as for who sings what? Hell if I know.
> 
> Ooo! More info on Sylphine this chapter includes her singing two verses of the title song. Enjoy.
> 
>  
> 
> Let's go!

 

Chapter 8

The Pot

Liar, lawyer; mirror show me, what's the difference?

Kangaroo done hung the guilty with the innocent

  
  


Mismatched eyes opened to see hosputal ceiling tiles. When Jazz came back, she didn't notice for in a split second they were bright blue as they should be. Other Danny sat up and streched as his unwary sibling unpacked their food.

 

"Cafeteria was surprisingly unhealthy for being in a hospital..." Her voice faded away as he concentrated on his new...toys. Twenty five slumbering minds subconsciously reached out when he called. He was surprised that they all lived. He hadn't been trying to kill anyone persay but the whole process had been an experiment so family and friends were off limits for such a thing

 

Their body was starving and they needed to eat. They could have drawn power from their first toy easily--the blonde idiot was working out in the gym just wasting all that delicious energy on exercise. He was with many others they could have tapped into, using Dash as a conduit with far less effort.

 

No, it was about gaining insight as well as feeding. If he could put their mark on enough people, they could use them whenever they wished. His other half might stop bitching about the whole draining innocents dry issue if they had a constant supply. He had not lied to his blue eyed other when he told him being separate was a bad thing. He knew at some point, the two halves would have to merge or perish. That did not mean he had accepted it without a second thought.

At first it was a source of rage. He existed dammit! Why should he have to blend into his vanilla other? Just because he existed first? Why did he have to surrender to some weak willed little bitch who was scared of his own powers? Fuck that.

 

Then he realized it was harder to take control when he wanted...no needed to. Accepting that both sides were required to function made it so much easier. He could control their body while his other slept. Many after midnight sightings of Phantom had been of one with red replacing neon green. Of course, here in Blindeye, USA it went unnoticed. Then that fucked up fruit loop showed up and Other Danny found himself shoved deep into their mind unconciously by his terrified other. Even before he could truly rationalize it he had been afraid of becoming like him--old, bitter, and a slave to his obsessions (killing Jack, having Maddie and him as his family, power...). But then the bastard actually turned out to be useful. All their battles forced them to evolve their powers faster. He grew stronger. Strong enough to escape the first tier of his prison. Strong enough to remain mostly free when that messed up future happened. Strong enough to unlock the Ghostly Wail and blast the smirk off Dan's face. Blowing out his hair was a satisfying bonus. That was the start of the merge.

 

But then why use Dan's voice? Hell if he knew. It was how he'd always sounded, his other simply could never hear him before the Dan fiasco. He assumed it was because he represented a more mature facet of their soul. Whatever, not like it really mattered. Still, screwing with him was kinda fun.

 

Okay really fun...heh heh.

 

Looking through Baxter's mind, he learned that his parents were suspicious of an 'omega level threat'. That Axiom has quarantined the whole damn school looking for the chemical agent responsible for the incident. How sad.

 

He cared for their family, despite what his other half thought. But they were so...slow on the uptake. He often wondered how such scientific minds could be so oblivious. Or how they spawned some one as observant as his sister. By the same token, how could Jazz have never noticed anything in the last year?

 

"Danny? Hello? You okay?" Jazz waved a hand in front of him snapping him back to the here and now.

 

"Yeah, sorry just kinda spaced out for a sec. You remembered banana pudding's my fave. Awesome sis, thanks." He smiled reaching for the spoon.

 

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

 

Valerie was officially pissed. She had no idea how long this whole thing had been going on. Thirty minutes into it, her cellphone had been confiscated. No explanation given. Now she was outside a plastic tent with about two dozen people inside sitting on cots. Some she knew. Most she didn't. Let's back up.

 

She got herded into a line with the rest of her class. Two minutes later the update notice on her Admire pinged alerting some jerk to it's presence. As she tried to read the news post it was plucked from her hands without warning. The man didn't say a word or even slow down as he passed her.  She started to protest then found herself being berated by the principal for causing a disturbance. After being scanned with a wand and walking through a scanner (both of which looked suspiciously like ordinary metal detectors) she joined the group listed as contaminant free. Most of the school ended up here in the gym.

 

Every so often though, the wand would warble loudly, the scanner light shifted from green to yellow or red. The kid would be lead  away by people in bright orange hazmat suits. The whole time being assured everything would be just fine. They were taken out through the stage door on the left that lead to the cafeteria. All clears went to the right which lead the gymnasium. Something just didn't add up.

 

The people that were tagged rarely came in contact with each other. They didn't really end up in the same places at the same time. How did she know this?

 

The school was designed for each grade level to have to their own sections. It helped prevent disturbances so when say juniors were doing standardized testing there weren't scores of kids changing classes right outside. It seemed there was a mix of all 4 grades and some teachers as well as a cafeteria worker. Two had been in her history class.

 

So using the bathroom as an excuse, Miss Grey was able to sneak into the cafeteria. There was a lot of wires and cables running about. They converged at a large tent that had been erected like a green house made of plastic wrap. Tall and robust canisters of oxygen were keeping up the breathable air supply. Except one canister which was very small and slender reminding her of a pringles can. What it said was the real clincher; RT3.

 

"Why are they pumping that stuff in to people who already..." she mumbled to herself. Then she heard the monitors whine; looking up she saw several people start to twitch before flopping over with their eyes rolled back into their skulls and continuing to convulse. None had time to panic before the same happened to them. One girl even foamed at the mouth. A teacher was biting down on his tongue if the blood was anything to go on.

 

An invisible force dislodged the RT3 canister before it simply phased through the floor in time to go unnoticed as doctors and nurses came running in response.

 

"I knew it was a ghost!" She whispered as she dove behind machinery. Valerie wasn't noticed in all the pandimonium. Now what? The GIW and the Fentons were gone. Her suit got fried almost a year ago. She had ectoguns at home. Just what exactly could she do now?

 

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

 

Were he able to hear the boy's internal thoughts three days ago, Clockwork would have been amused.  Danny knew that despite the title and powers that the time ghost was not 100% omniscient. It was just fun to say he was. That way, it was much more dramatic to proclaim all is as it should be when things went well.

 

However he could plainly see the tiny enigma that was so fond of butterflies and rainbows easily fooling 2 teens into believing that  she was a helpless child. And it was a nice change of scenery. Things were always interesting when those golden eyes appeared no matter what form they took.

He had no idea where she came from or what she was but human and ghost  were both long shots.

 

It also helped that her very existence not to mention the chaos she brought was an affront to his employers' senses. She had no right to exist as far as they were concerned.

 

Long story short, she bothered the holy hell out of the Observants.

That was a plus. Even the mightiest of ghosts were still bound by the constraints of time space for they had lived, died, and been given an afterlife in it. Unable to pause it, rewind it, or fast forward it; everyone dead or alive has to someday bow to the hands of time. It just took little while longer for some than others. Immortality was an illusion humans chased and ghost deluded themselves with. Even he had to be created specifically to do this job. A previous existence would violate the sanctity of his duty. Or so he was always told.

 

But she was different. If she is in the picture, the path to the future becomes fractured and curled in unto itself creating a mess impossible to see clearly through.  She made him question what he always believed.

 

//Nature favors entropy. But once it runs it's course, stability reigns in it's wake.//

 

She'd said that to Vlad when she revealed herself to him. He spent many an hour watching her guide the young grad student towards his potential. This earned her greater ire from the Observants. They could see very clearly the dark path he would take. All the suffering he would cause in the world. They knew she could see it too. Didn't she care? Perhaps mayhem just delighted her.

 

But something about her made Clockwork respect her and he had no idea why. Until she appeared at his tower after Masters finally cracked.

 

Flashback

 

She floated upside down against the green swirly sky humming to herself. White sundress and charm bracelet defying gravity with her.

 

"Why do you cause such misery and grief you wretched creature?!" one Observant raged, eye glowing red. She only hummed louder. The tune was something Clockwork would later recognize as it blasted out if Samantha Manson's stereo 18 years in the future. At the time though, it was simply aggravating.

 

"Answer us you--!" the other began as she opened her mouth to sing.

 

" Who are you to wave your finger?

You must have been outta your head

Eye hole deep in muddy waters

You practically raised the dead

 

Rob the grave to snow the cradle

Then burn the evidence down

Soapbox house of cards and glass so

Don't go tossin' your stones around" The song flowed from her lips like an innocent nursery rhyme. She swayed  to a beat only she could hear as she sang. Dark overtones were almost muted by her carefree mannerisms.

 

The time guardians looked ready to pop in frustration. She only beamed joyfully, musical laughter taunting them.

 

"Awe...am I pissing you off?" the not 10 year old cooed. "Want me out if your hair...or rather lack thereof? Want me to go away?" the sweet smile faded to an expressionless mask. Abruptly, she dropped down to stare the Observants in the eye. She did so with out changing her orientation.

 

"Make me."

 

And she was gone in a clap of thunder and flash of lightening.

 

End Flashback

 

That was when he realized there was far more to this situation than meets the eye. Pardon the pun. When the wheels in his mind began to turn. What was really going on?

 

-+-+-+-+-+-+-

  
  
  


Danny, the original, was motionless and unaware floating in a dark miasma. He was now a prisoner of one of those strange black mirrors he could never see onto floating about the misty area of his own inner world. So of course he didn't see that set of metallic shimmering wings return, landing on the mirror just above his nose.

 

He might have become excited if he could have seen the tiny hairline fracture that dainty and very out of place creature caused in the crystal surface it came to rest on.

But since he was pretty much catatonic, possible excitement was a moot point wasn't it?

-+-+-+-+-+-

 

 


	10. Bat Country

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all. This chapter reveals more about Sylphine as in who she really is and what she's doing in the DP universe. Also the RT3 cover story unravels spectacularly...well to the more observant (i.e. the readers). Also it gives a bit about my next story. See if you can tell where the lil’ hellion is gonna show up next.
> 
>  
> 
> Here is Avenged Sevenfold’s Bat Country leading the charge.

 

Chapter 10

Bat Country

I've known it from the start

All these good ideas will tear your brain apart

Scared but you can follow me

I'm too weird to live but much to rare to die

  
  


The techno geek of Team Phantom felt like a baby sitter who knew they weren't gonna get paid. Sam had become much more sociable talking to Sylphine. The little brat had convinced them to go with her 'in case that big mean dog came back'. Those big honey colored eyes brimming with tears had made his inner voice berate him for even considering telling her what he really wanted to. Buzz off kid we have our own  situation. Instead he found himself bringing up the rear as the trio walked.

 

Don't get him wrong, Tucker could sympathize. He had been tiny when he was that age too. Dogs of just about any size were a legitimate threat to his health. He also recalled an incident in little league where his team lost and visiting kids decided the victory itself wasn't enough. All 12 of them ended up hanging from the baseball field fence by their white and red piped pants with 'losers' written on their faces. He wished he told his mom he was sick that day. He could have sat home and watched cartoons that Saturday and avoided the mega wedgie. It was the day he swore off sports for good.

 

No he was happy Sam was distracted. So he kept his complaints to himself and followed.

  
  


They reached the hospital in about ten minutes. No, not Amity Medical where they had just escaped. This was Efialtis Regional, a private hospital run by the Greek Orthodox Church. This medical center was closer to the edge of town. Although smaller than the city’s main hospital, from the looks of it, it was not without ample funding. If the grandiose fountains and marble flooring were any thing to go on. A large mosaic depicting the Last Temptation of Christ spanned the wall to the left of the entryway. To the right was a scene depicting Adam and Eve, naked and naive in the garden of Eden; the serpent hiding in the shade of a bush as they frolicked.

 

“Dude...this place is really...” Tucker found himself at a loss for words. Before his friend could supply any herself, Sylphine became giddy and began to talk again.

 

“Mama would love to meet you and thank you for saving me. Daddy will be here soon too.f Come on!” The young girl was hard to say no to so Sam did not protest when she grabbed her arm and led them to the elevators. She hummed happily the whole way, swinging the Goth girl’s arm as she skipped along.

 

The young girl’s mother was on the 6th floor so they piled into an empty car in the lobby. The golden eyed girl pressed the elegantly designed 6. The tune she was humming was familiar to the pair...and not something a sweet little girl should be humming. She probably heard it on the radio. No big deal.  They dismissed it. They really shouldn’t have. Too bad Sam only realized it when there was just a crack left between the closing metal doors. As she saw the opulent lobby fade away into a dark dilapidated corridor. The staff and visitors simply evaporate. For the second time that day, violet eyes went wide paralyzed in fear.

 

“Hey, do you guys know what Efialtis means in English?” Sylphine asked as the pulley system lifting the elevator ground to a halt after barely lifting but did not open. She was staring at the floor. Black ropes obscured her face.

 

“Seriously?” Tucker muttered then noticed the child's shoulders were shaking. He knelt down to comfort the scared girl just as Sam reached to pull him back. He did not notice his best friend was too scared to speak. "Don't worry. It's a busy place. Someone will notice real soon."

 

“Now take a trip with me... But...don't be surprised when things aren't what they se-em...."  The little girl whispered softly. As she lift her head to look up at them, those deep liquid golden pools flashed briefly.

 

Sam gasped at the tone of her voice, finally getting herself together enough to drag Tucker back as well when she saw that there was a serene smile on her face. The girl had been giggling not sobbing.

 

"It means nightmare."

 

Before the teens had a chance to do anything, Sylphine pressed the 6 on the panel once more and the car dropped like a stone. The teens were flung into the ceiling as the elevator screeched down the shaft at mach two. The creature they now knew was definitely not a little girl didn’t even budge. Her skirt and braids did flutter a little in the wind that was suddenly blowing all around them. Screaming in their ears and pressing them further into the grating. Denying their lungs the ability to express their well founded fear. The metallic beads at the ends of her braids made an eerie clacking sound that could be heard over all the noise.

 

“Enjoy the ride.”  Her tiny form glowed before exploding in a swirl of shimmering, delicate wings.

 

*I am a linebreak! Beware!* *I am a linebreak! Beware!* *I am a linebreak! Beware!*

  
  


Valerie still hadn't the vaguest idea what to do she couldn't get in contact with Mayor Masters. Like most people these days she felt no compunction to remember phone numbers because of her cellphone contact list. Lost your mobile? No problem; most handhelds were synced to the user's email or some other remote database so back ups of just about everything you had could be accessed from a computer. That was the problem.

 

No cell and no computer. She was currently hiding in a pantry of all places. When everyone started going nuts in that tent, she was only able to get as far away as the kitchen before more agents or whatever rushed in. She blindly dove into an open door and closed it behind her. Only to hear footsteps just outside the door. Great. Now she was trapped in the dark. She could hear quite well in this hideaway though.

 

"There have been complications sir." A man said. He sounded like the one directing the students and teachers through out the screening. There was silence that met his statement leading her to believe the man was on his phone. "It belongs to a student, mine is needed to control the scanners...oh I see...Well though Ms. Grey was not part of the decoy group her phone was confiscated sir....I apologize, I did not know she was in your employ, I shall return it immediate--...Are you sure?..As you wish sir.”

 

A crack, crunch and thump later, he left the kitchen. The former Red Huntress slowly opened the door before dashing to the trashcan. Whatever he threw away had to be important. She thanked whoever was listening that this was a basket solely for paper. After fishing around a while, she pulled out the only solid object there was. The pieces started to come together but she was confused even more.

 

Half the tie-dye cover was missing. What remained was splintered and barely holding on. The screen looked like someone had backed over it with a semi truck. One on the four buttons was nowhere to be seen. This was her phone! Well it used to be...Wait! That meant the man on the other end was Masters! Decoy group? What was that about controlling the scanners?

 

But then the Mayor knows what’s going on...did he set all this up knowing people would get hurt? Oh my god! Then that ghost I saw works for him?! Who the fuck have I been working for since freshman year?!  Her mental malfunction was interrupted by a deep, merry male voice right in her ear.

 

“Let’s go ask him shall we Lassy?”

 

The man doubled back after hearing something. He rushed through the double doors to see the remains of the phone he destroyed strewn about the floor next to a single gold bangle bracelet. He blinked once, then yet again.

 

Shit.

 

*I am a linebreak! Beware!* *I am a linebreak! Beware!* *I am a linebreak! Beware!*

 

Across town, that mystery breeze returned in Vlad’s office. He merely rolled his eyes and returned to the paperwork before him. Nothing moved this time because he had weighted everything down.

 

“Not real observant are ye Boy-o?” an Irish accented voice laughed. “M’lady sent ye several warnings yet ye paid ‘em no never mind. Truth be told though, she didna expect ye to.”

 

Any normal person would have been startled out of their skin. Vlad merely growled when he looked up and saw a tall red headed man in front of his desk holding a very confused and frightened Valerie Grey by her wrist. He was dressed like a man of modern day; a plain blue tee and black jeans. Yet his emerald green eyes and drawl revealed he was far older than he appeared. And far more dangerous. No this man was that acursed Sylphine's servant. Ironic that he first met him under the guise of the physics professor that taught him sophmore year in college. Evetything about the man defied the laws of physics. If you could call such a being a man...

 

“Chainey...and Miss Grey. To what do I owe the pleasure?” He snarled in response.

 

“Pleasure be bit of a stretch there boy-o donna ye think? Jus passin’ along a message fer ye. Tha broke down Rubix cube ye been squattin on ain’t gonna save ye. She knows an she lead ye to find e’ry las piece ‘cept two. Life’s a bitch an so’s m’lady when she’s in a fit.” He laughed heartlily. “This lassy ain’t yer pawn no more an I didna ‘ave to do a thin’. Oh yes, we won’t be yer las visitors today. Hope yer office survives.”

 

Valerie had been flayling about like a loon the whole time. This man’s grip was like iron even though he wasn’t squeezing her wrist. All she could do was look helplessly at her former boss. Who ignored her.

 

“Really now. So I should expect that little witch anytime then.” Though his face remained impassive, He was seething as well as more than a tad alarmed. Mental Vlad was running around in panicked little circles. Tearing out his imaginary hair.

 

All this work for nothing?! How could she know?! Lead me to them?!

As he thought about it, it did seem convenient how information on Pandora’s box was readily available whenever he sent out one of his minions to find it. How could he have been so blind?

 

//I'm watching you.//

 

What doesn’t she know? If she thinks she can play with me like a toy that little whor-.

 

“Donna be completin’ tha thought Boy-o. M’lady has much more pressin’ matters than tha likes of ye. No, ‘xpect a more...recent aquain’ence. Come along Lassy. Someuhn’s been waitin’ ta meet ye.” Chainey leveled a glare at him before he and the dazed girl were engulfed in a small tornado that cleared the desk, bookcases and many other surfaces. The halfa had to shield his face from flying debris. The gale died down revealing they were gone, a haunting laugh the fading behind them.

  
  


“Oh, snicker--”

  
  


BZZZT!

 

“Mr. Masters is everything alright?” Adelaide, the secretary that insisted upon the chime buzzed in. As the intercom was attached to the desk, Chainey’s departure had not disturbed it.

 

“I’m not sure. Cancel the rest of today’s appointments my dear.”

 

*I am a linebreak! Beware!* *I am a linebreak! Beware!* *I am a linebreak! Beware!*

 

High above the street, Sylphine sat watching the people below. She smiled as she thought of how pissed the junior hunters would be to realize they never left the construction site where they met her. She had to have her fun somehow!

Truth be told, she was very agitated at the moment. The Observants were very right, she did not belong here. But, that was not her fault. And she was going to raise as much hell as she could about it. After all, their colossal fuck up sucked her into this reality.

 

Chaos Mages always existed in pairs and currently she was without her other. The one who’s affinity was the opposite of her own. As she was a Chaos Mage of Light, Gabriel was one of Shadows. ‘What lurks in the shadows is not always tainted nor is all that basks in the light pure.’ This simple creed ruled her existence. It meant that good and evil were merely concepts invented by beings with higher brain function. Because of this, the Observants had shifted the balance here in favor of the shadows. By shattering Pandora’s Box and creating Clockwork. Let’s back up a bit.

 

Clockwork should not exist. Not in the form is does. He is the Guardian of Pandora’s box (not the item’s true name but what legend has dubbed it) and essentially one who watches the universe and occasionally asks Chaos Mages for assistance. He has many brother and sister Guardians who serve the same purpose across the multiverse, just as she an Gabriel do as well.

 

A fact that further pissed the young deity off. But she knew that without a world’s guardian, it would slowly start to fall apart. She did not envy their place--the very real role of Atlas to their realms. It’s why Aurii, the Guardian of her reality could not come. And why this one was going to hell. This world’s Mages had been sealed and that was what she had come to remedy. So she could get the hell out of here.

 

Sighing she thought of her beloved, part of another pair of mages. Their universe was much more volatile, they were forced to take opposing sides of what their world defined as good and evil to make sure it wasn’t ripped apart by it’s own residents. Though she thought it hilarious that grown men and women ran about in spandex and skimpy clothing there, she hated how it bothered her lover and his other to fight each other; even if it was just for show.

 

Yes lover.

 

What?

 

She’s cosmic entity, of course she can become a woman if she so desired. Being small and cute simply lulled people into a false sense of security...then completely freaked them out. Speaking of which, that bastard better not forget her birthday again. She hoped his other reminded him. Or she would hurt them both.

 

“M’lady, I present Miss Grey.” Chainey appeared behind her on the half constructed floor.

 

“She didna wanna come quitely so I had ta put ‘er ta sleep. Shall I get tha las uhn fer ye?” He inquired holding the limp form in his arms.

 

“Nope. I think Other Danny fixed that problem for us. Five easy pieces teehee!” She hoped up and motioned to the still bodies of Tucker and Sam. There was a single glowing butterfly resting on their noses. With a small gesture one appeared over Valerie’s. “Put her with them. I’ve already sent the fifth out. I don’t need their physical bodies here, only their souls.”

 

“Yes’m.” He levitated her form to lay with her friends.

  
  
  
  


Meanwhile, The Fentons had arrived at Amity Medical to find their son missing, their daughter unconscious in his room and a horde of red eyed people previously in la-la land sitting up in bed like zombies.

 

Awesome.

 

They became more frantic when the strange winged creature landed on the tip of their daughter’s nose and could not be removed. Their hands just passed right through it.

  
  


 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ta-da! Chapter 10 is done. See? She’s not a complete bitch. And no Chainey didn’t just pop up for conveniece sake, he has a background story. It just might not be explained in this part of the series. The main DP story is drawing to a close though and everything will be explained before it’s all over with, don’t worry. The next two chapters will be headed by Sin with a Grin (Shinedown) and You’re Going Down (Sick Puppies) I just don’t know which will come first. Oh, let me know if you figured out where the next story in the series is gonna happen. I’m open to suggestions from those that do. Digital cookies to anybody who figures out who Syl’s lover and his other are. Sirensoundwave out. ^_^


	11. Sin With a Grin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This is Other Danny's time to shine. We see more of what drives him and learn why it's a bad thing... besides the obvious reasons. Bit more about Sylphine and what happened to Sam, Tucker, Valerie and Jazz. *I am a line break! Beware!* will now be the standard to show scene changes etc. Shinedown’s “Sin with a Grin” leads the way. Let’s go!
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: Bite me.

 

 

Chapter 11

Sin with a Grin

 

Thank you for reminding me of why I am sick inside

Thank you for the venom

Did you think it would paralyze?

These scars...I scratch...I tear...

Are there under my skin

Where you've always been

Thank you for reminding me to sin with a grin

 

Hangman standing on a twisted 2 by 4

Built your house but forgot to lock the door

I'm inside...with two black eyes

I have not one shred of sympathy

I have no use for apologies

  
  


This was so not awesome.

 

Valerie stood up to figure out where the hell she was. First off she was sure she had woken up face down on a soft pillow (she found it was actually her hoodie folded neatly)

in the snow but she wasn't cold. Sure it was freezing when she was lying in it but the air itself...she couldn't describe it.

 

The sky above her was a pale grayish purple. She could see nothing but snow covered field forever in one direction. Behind her was a forest of crystal trees on the other side of a river that looked to be made of flowing diamonds.

 

"Did that freak toss me down the rabbit hole?" She dusted the snow that did not melt from her hoodie before sliding it on.

 

"No room with ridiculously labeled food and drink or tiny doors so I’m guessin’ no."

 

That voice belonged to Sam Manson, one of Danny’s best friends. The goth girl was sitting on a smooth surface that seemed to be made of the same material as the freaky trees. However, Valerie could see no visible means of the table like structure’s support. It was just hovering perfectly motionless horizontal to the ground.

 

“Are you sure it’s safe to sit on that?”

 

“No idea but I got tired of standing. You’re the last to wake up, how do you feel?”

 

“Dizzy and my head aches. How did we get here? Last thing I remember is this over grown leprechaun putting his hand over my eyes and whispering something in my ear.” Valerie hopped up on the whatever it was with her. It didn’t so much as wobble. Now that she was on it she could tell it was a really big mirror, not a table.

 

“Tuck and I got here after the elevator ride from hell. A kid that wasn’t a kid tricked us and next thing we know here we are. Jazz won’t tell us what happened to her.”

 

“Then where are they?”

 

“Went into the forest to see if any clues to where the hell we are could be found. I opted to stay with you just in case you were hurt. Couldn’t really tell with you out like a light.”

 

His friends, his sister and me. All people Danny’s close to but why me? We haven’t really seen much of each other lately. We sorta just drifted apart.

 

She recalled the last time they had even spoken was in the hall at school last month. It was after they found Baxter looking like death warmed over. He looked terrified himself.

 

*Flashback*

 

“Danny you okay? Did you see what happened?” She had found him hiding in a gap between lockers. He was pale and shaking like a leaf. His lips didn’t help the image. They were an eerie bluish color and slightly swollen.

 

“No. Yes. Argh! I don’t know!” He looked at her with bloodshot eye before burying his face into his knees and sobbed.

 

“Hang on I’ll get someone-”

 

“No! Don’t I’m fine. I don’t know what I saw but I just ran and called 911. They don’t need to know it was me.” His eyes were full of panic. “Promise me you won’t say anything. Please...”

 

“Um, okay.” She didn’t know why she agreed so easily. Especially when something in her mind was holding up a neon sign that read ‘Something is very wrong you dope!’

 

*End Flashback*

 

She thought it was probably trauma from seeing whatever it was that got Dash. Being afraid it would come back for him. Maybe it threatened him. Poor Danny seemed to be targeted by ghosts or caught in the crossfire so often. Val had always attributed it to his parents being hunters; maybe spooks decided to go after their kids for revenge. That nagging feeling was probably nothing. Right? Right.

 

Well, Jazz doesn’t seem to have that kind of luck. Then again she just went away to college last summer so I have no real idea. Even when she was a student at Casper we weren’t really on sharing terms. More like wave in the hall terms.

  
  


“That’s a pity really but you’re still apart of this.” Before Valerie could register that the new voice was unfamiliar to her, Tucker’s voice sounded from the direction of the stream just as Sam exclaimed beside her.

 

“YOU!”

 

“Yes me.” A little girl was standing alone in the clearing. She wore a white sundress without shoes. Braids down to her waist and a charm bracelet she could not make out weren’t her most notable feature. Those eyes like buttercups reflecting the sun were.

 

“You brought us here? Why? How did you kidnap us?” Jazz asked, coming out behind Tucker. She saw a child but her years of dealing with ghosts made her wary; as it should.

 

“Technically, I haven’t kidnapped anyone. You’re all asleep, sorta. We never left the building you found me near. Chainey snatched you outta school. FYI if that guy on your phone had found you hiding, he would have snapped your neck. He did crush your phone like a paper cup.” She shrugged. “And Jazz, you know exactly how you passed out. Your brother’s eyes are sky blue not blood red but he is the one who drained your energy while holding your hand. He needed to make sure you didn’t stop him from leaving. If it makes you feel better, he kept you from hitting the floor, laid you on the bed and covered you before he phased through the wall. But that’s not important.”

 

“Danny couldn’t hurt a fly. He’d never hurt his sister. What are you talking about kid? You say that like he has powers or something.” The former Red Huntress defended her friend. She wasn’t sure who this girl was but she liked her less and less by the second.

 

“Or something. Three of you already know Danny’s been sucking the life out of people, two have known for the last two years. You know that when he is hungry food does little more than provide a familiar taste and a sense of normalcy. Makes him feel like less of a monster when he knows he craves the life-force and emotional energy living things generate.” Sylphine walked closer as she spoke looking at Team phantom. She stopped feet from them and shifted her gaze to Valerie. “One of you at least suspects he had more to do with Mr. Baxter’s condition than he would admit that day you found him. It’s time to own up to what you know and actually help him for a change. All of you.”

 

“What are you going on about ? What are we supposed to do other than what we do everyday?” Tucker stood in front of the girls, trying to show some backbone even though he was sure this girl could tear through him like tissue paper if she wanted. Bravery was not a lack of fear. Merely the ability to face what you fear even though your bladder and bowels want to void.

 

“Help Danny break out of his mental prison to take control of his darker side and  powers before you all burn. There is no other choice. You are literally all that stand between your world and oblivion.”

 

*I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!*

 

Amity Medical was once again a mad house.

 

Doctors could not get Jasmine Fenton to awaken. Or even begin to explain the butterfly made of light that had settled on her nose. Every once and a while, it’s wings would flap or antennae twinge a bit but all attempts to remove it ended with the hand or instrument passing through it like a hologram.

 

“This thing isn’t a ghost Jack. It doesn’t have an ecto-signature.” Maddie fretted as the Fenton Finder scanned her child.

 

“But the room does. Same Omega level entity. Whatever did this took Danny too. Dirty rotten spooks.” Jack looked over her shoulder as he engaged his ectogun.

 

“Ahhhhhh!”

 

A scream down the hall got their attention. A nurse had screamed when one of the school incident patients suddenly sat up in bed. Kwan had opened almond colored eyes darkened with a tinge of deep red. He had clamped down on the had about to take his blood pressure with an iron grip. The poor thing was sure she had heard her wrist snap like a twig. So, surprise plus pain equals shrill cry. Despite her frantic attempts, he did not let her go or even budge an inch from her struggling. When he did move however, the woman found herself soaring across the room into the hallway and slamming in to the nurse’s station.

 

Hospital staffers within arms reach of all the school coma patients found themselves in similar situations. Some had their flight ended by a wall, a door or another unfortunate person. One doctor came within inches of a window. Mr. Sanchez got flipped over his daughter’s bed and landed on his face. Instant K.O. .

 

The Fentons could only strap specter-deflectors on to themselves and daughter before dashing off to investigate. Ecto -weapons a blazing. If they only knew that back at the school, Dash Baxter was choking the life out of an Axiom Lab employee as his co workers frantically tried to get the crimson eyed boy off of their boss.

 

*I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!*

 

In yet another location, Vlad Masters had just cleaned up the mess the wind spirit left in his office. If only he hadn’t paused to peer out the window and sigh in contempt. He might have noticed his guest before he looked down to see a hand sticking out of his stomach coated in ectoplasm tainted blood. Or heard a cheerful voice whisper into his ear.

 

“Hiya Uncle Vlad.”

 

Daniel?!

 

Vlad felt a foot on his back then a forceful shove as the boy removed his hand. He staggered forward transforming out of instinct to stop the bleeding. Now Plasmius, he whirled around to see his wish-list protege licking the blood from his fingers like a kid would the cake batter off a mixing spoon. Eyes matching the fluid dripping down his arm and staining his t-shirt.

 

“Let’s see if those years of experience are any match for unbridled rage Vaddie-boy.” Other Danny cooed forming a rather impressive ball of ectoplasmic energy in his free hand. “Careful whacha wish for.”

 

He’s still in human form, how the hell-

 

The resulting explosion rocked the entire building.

 

*I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!*

 

“Stop with the riddles and just tell us what you want!” Sam was beyond angry. She couldn’t deal with this. Any of it. One of her best friends was a psychic vampire that had no control over his hunger. She nearly got killed in her science class because of that and now this midget was holding her and several others hostage in a bizarre winter wonderland! There was only so much one goth could take in the span of 3 hours for god sakes!

 

“I repeat I did not kidnap anybody. Your in Danny’s mind. He’s trapped here just like you all. The boy that smiled at you and took your hand Jazz is what happens when dumb asses challege the way the world is suppose to work. He was only a splinter of your brother, the result of his soul literally being ripped in half.”

“So it wasn’t the real Danny that attacked me.” Jazz looked relieved.

 

“Totally didn’t say that Red. He is the result of two years of anger, grief, rejection and desperation being shoved down into the depths of his psyche and sparked to life by his ghostly energy. It took him less time to awaken most of his powers but longer to full on snap like Vlad did. That’s probably because he’s battled more powerful ghosts on a regular basis. Anyhoo, your mission is to free the trapped part of his soul before his Other side kills Vlad. He’s driven by the need to remove threats to himself and those he loves. It’s a warped version of his affinity for light--the tendency to seek the good in everything as well as protect the innocent.”

 

“Knowing who Plasmius, why would we help him? I mean I don’t want Danny to kill anybody but if anyone deserves it it’s that dick.” Tucker admitted. Everybody stared at him. “What? You guys know as well as I do that he is the number one cause of all Danny’s problems. As Fenton and Phantom.”

 

“He’s Phantom?!” Valerie sputtered. It all suddenly made sense but--her enemy could not be the same boy she briefly dated. No way. “That’s impossible!”

 

“Oh come on you can’t possibly be that dense girl. That word has no meaning; I don’t know why it exists in any language. There is always a possibility. You don’t have much time. He’s stuck in one of the black mirrors. The one with the butterfly sitting on it. I can’t free him but you can.”

 

“Why us? You seem pretty powerful on your own.” Jazz ventured. “We’re just ordinary people.”

 

“I am pretty powerful. But even I have to play by the rules. I can’t directly cause the awakening of another Chaos Mage. I can only interfere when they ask for my help like Vlad did. He is the darkness to Danny’s light. They are meant to keep harmony in this world. Only a Chaos Mage or a Guardian can kill another Mage. If Danny succeeds the balance in this world will be destroyed and a sort of cosmic reset will occur. Same if Vlad kills him. All because a pair of over grown eyeballs decided they could do the Guardian’s job better.

 

Look I know you’re confused and you have the right to be. Because you all care for him and are ordinary people you have the power in this realm. I can explain it better after you complete your task. Otherwise we are wasting time!” Sylphine yelled. “The only way to shatter the mirror is with the reverse of the emotions it is made of. Move your asses!”

  
  


Just like that she was gone leaving the quartet confused but now more aware of the faint twinking point inside that black mist several yards away.

 

*I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!*

 

“Oh!” Sylphine’s eyes snapped open and she struggled to remain standing. The five of them were still physically in the half completed room.

 

“Think they’ll ma’e it M’lady?” Chainey helped his mistress stay upright. The stress of occupying an unwilling and unawakened Mage’s mind had weakened her a great deal. The Irishman found himself holding her bridal style as she panted in his arms instead.

 

“I hope so. Doesn’t much matter to me. Reset or rebalanced I still get to leave this place. But my affinity for light just wouldn’t let me rest until I at least tried to help. Stu...pid...affin...ity. zzzzzz...” Just like that, the bane of so many passed out and slipped into her own dream land.

 

*I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!*

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, little more revealed. Sylphine can’t break the rules but she can sure as hell bend ‘em. Danny and Vlad are the Chaos Mages of the DP world? Who saw that coming? The race is on to save the universe.
> 
>  
> 
> By they way the sequel to this called “Parallels” will be in the Young Justice section. For a preview and a bit of background read “A Mother’s Love” in the YJ section. Sirensoundwave, out.


	12. You're Going Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay kiddies, Vlad and Danny beat the shit out of each other in this chapter. I mean knock down drag out brawl between two guys with serious power. Not a one sided beat down that Danny only survives by some sad plot device (there are e--fuckin--nough of those in the actual show). I gave Other Phantom a make over to match his attitude too. Clockwork begins to question his 'employers' to their...um...eyes? And things get interesting in Danny's head.
> 
>  
> 
> Here's Sick Puppies 'You're Going Down' setting up for the chapter. Let's go!

 

Disclaimer: Bite me.

  
  


Chapter 12

You're Going Down

 

Define your meaning of fun

To me it's when we're gettin' done

I feel the heat comin' off of the blacktop

So get ready for another one

Let's take a trip down memory lane

The words circulate in my brain

You can treat this like another one all the same

But don't cry like a bitch when you feel the pain

  
  


A large pink bubble had saved Plamius from being blown to hell. The force had thrown him a few feet shy of a building but he was able to slow his acceleration to a dead stop before he hit it. Still he was stunned to see tiny cracks on his shield. And even more so when the cause stepped through the smoke and dust as if nothing was wrong.

 

"That was quick fruitloop."  Danny laughed merrily; the gleam in his crimson eyes made all the more disturbing by the blood on his  lips and coating his left arm. Plasimious' blood. "Guess I should change wardrobe too."

 

The familiar bluish white rings appeared at the teen's waist only to quickly change to reddish white as they slid along his frame in opposing directions. Vlad knew that could not be good.

 

Worn blue jeans and sneakers gave way to studded black leather pants and black combat boots up to his shins with deep red laces. His signature red and white tee was replaced with a red one bearing the DP logo in silver. An ebony trench coat reached just past his shins decked out in chains and metal spikes. One crimson biker glove on his left hand, the right one bare. Phantom's hair was still shockingly white but the right side was sheered just low enough to obscure his scalp. The eye on that side was thickly outlined in black. Above and under it a black line like a dagger's tip ran down his cheek. The ghost child sneered revealing fangs.

 

What the devil happened in an hour's time?! This is the same thing that surfaced. How could the boy lose control of it so fast?

 

Vlad would be the first to admit that the boy made him look like a cheap Halloween costume now. But Phantom's new look or even behavior isn't what worried him. The fact that the boy had a massive amount of power rolling off of him in waves did. This wasn't going to be one of their usual confrontations.

 

And it was about then he noticed those boots were steel toed.  Yeah, he got a great view of 'em when Phantom charged and drop kicked him through that wall he avoided the first go 'round.

 

"Get up old man. This is what you wanted right? For me to 'realize my true potential and put aside childish things' I think were your exact words. I don't suppose wanting to eviscerate you counts as a childish thing does it? And this definitely isn't a toy." He held out his gloved hand scowling at his opponent.

 

The chains on his person glowed red before the segments of different sizes linked together and attached to a curved scythe with a short white handle that formed before him. A silver ankh hung from the other end of the chain. This new weapon, a kusari-gama, glinted in the sun as he took hold of it.

 

“You’ve matured. Congratulations boy. But you must realize I’ve only been toying with you these past few years. You are not the only one with powers to display.”

 

With that, the elder halfa simply reached behind him and pulled a long thin sword from inside his cape. The hilt was gold and silver twined together forming the head of a dragon at one end and branched out in a v shape where the blade was connected. The weapon was drawn just in time to parry a swing from the chained sickle. The clang of metal on metal rang throughout the streets. The two seemed well versed in their chosen weapons; trading blows like gladiators of equal caliber.

 

People had already started to run away when the initial explosion occured. Some had called the police but many weren’t too worried. Well beyond getting out of the way. He looked a lot different but after two years you couldn’t not recognize the hero of Amity Park. He would drive the Wisconsin Ghost away in no time and save them all. Which made the next few moments all the more terrifying.

 

“A claymore? Funny always pictured you with a broad sword.” Phantom scoffed. “Not interested in a stalemate. Eyah!”The punkish ghost boy swung his weapon wide. At first nothing happened. The move had been too far away to make contact with the older halfa.

 

“GAHHH!” When he was about to dismiss the move as a distraction, an ear-splitting shriek sounded. A wall of glowing green sound waves struck him in the knees. He screamed in pain but managed to use his own energy to prevent his legs from being sheared off.

 

A tree his left lost a about a foot of height and there was a large gash in the street to his right. The boy had just channeled his ghostly wail through that swing! Vlad had seen the boy use that devastatingly destructive attack a few times before but the scream always caused such weakness that he was forced into his human form shortly afterwards. Daniel lacked any ability to focus it and usually destroyed a good deal of property no matter how he tried to control it. The one time it didn’t, it had been aimed skyward at a ghost Plasmius couldn’t recall. Didn’t matter as the ghost had never been seen again in either world.

 

That was not the same attack. It was far more concentrated and directed with his weapon. No, this was far more dangerous. That weapon had to go. He did not want to kill the boy but...dying himself did not appeal to him either.

 

“ARRGGHHH!”

 

A glowing gloved hand still grasping the wicked blade and part of a leather covered forearm dropped to the ground. Phantom clutched the stump where his left hand used to be. He dropped to his knees and doubled over trying to stem the flow of neon ooze. It ran down his remaining hand and onto the chain still held in it.

 

“Not so brave now boy. You should have watched your back. As you kids say ‘uh-duh’.” A copy of Plasmius floated behind him, his sword dripping green. “To bad you’ll never get to use that delightful attack again.”

 

“You’d...think...that.” He raged through gritted teeth. “Wrong bitch.” Phantom yanked the chain and the kusari-gama slashed the duplicate in half forcing it to melt. Those on the street watched in awe as the chain draped over his shoulder and snaked along his left arm; the severed appendage was still attached as the short sickle dangled at the end of it. With another sharp yank, the two bloody parts were forced together and sealed seamlessly in place.

  
“Oh dear. That’s new.” Vlad blinked before creating more duplicates which all took battle stances. “I suppose we’re both in for quite a fight.”

 

*I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!*

“Okay. We found him easy enough.” Valerie sighed as she peered into the 2-D prison. The gold bug was kinda creepy but it was resting on a fissure in the glass. At least they knew it could break.

 

Danny looked as if he had simply fallen asleep. His face was serene but his clothes and hair rippled like he was caught underwater. She was still having trouble connecting that lovable face with the bane of her existence.

 

This isn’t real.

 

“It’s already cracked a little. Maybe we could use one of these rocks.” Tucker held one of the large stones from the brook over his head and brought it down with all his might. Bad idea. The surface merely wavered before rebounding the force of the blow and sending the techie flying backwards.

 

“You okay Tuck?” Sam called, then amended her query. “Standard question!”

 

“Define okay. Standard answer.” The poor boy moaned. He’d slid a ways leaving a long trail in the snow. He was just grateful the rock landed beside his head not on it.

 

“This material resists force but it’s solid to the touch.” Jazz ran her hand along the mirror. “Danny wake up! Can you hear us? We are gonna get you out of this!”

 

To their surprise, the cracks lengthened a bit.

 

“He hits it and gets knocked silly. You yell at it and it cracks. Emotions!” Sam exclaimed as Tucker hobbled back to their group. “Sylphine said the only way to break the mirror was to use the reverse of the emotions it was made of. Anger, grief, rejection and desperation, she gave us the clues. We have to let him know we care about him. Believe in him.”

 

Another crack.

 

“Um... okay. Danny we’re all here for you. I’m sorry that I didn’t do something sooner. I saw how much you were hurting and I dropped the ball as a big sister. Please forgive me.” Jazz placed her hand on the glass. She felt so bad inside, she began to cry and her voice became a whisper. “But I can’t make it up to you if we don’t make it out of here.”

 

Longer, deeper crack.

 

“You’re reckless, headstrong, and you’re gonna give me a heart attack one day!” Sam yelled. “But that’s what makes you the awesome hero you are. Screw the world, your friends and family love you and need you. We don’t care that you’re a half ghost we just want to help you deal with this.”

 

Another crack that stretched across diameter of the mirror.

 

“Dude this is super bizarre but still kinda cool. Kick ass powers and your own inner world. You’re just like Ichigo, complete with hollow half. But he saves the day and deals with the craziness in his head all alone. You don’t have to. We’ve been suckey friends but we want to do better by you man. Please...wake up Danny so we can have the chance.”

 

By now the glass looked like it had been hit with a crowbar several times.

 

Team Phantom looked at Valerie. Who remained silent, gazing at the mirror in awe.

 

“Um hello? World at stake? Aren’t you going to say something?” Sam glared at the former Red Huntress.

 

Val wasn’t sure, she just...Danny had lied to her for two years! He was a monster that was basically snacking on everyone he came in contact with! How many times had he held her hand or walked with her pretending it was normal when he was actually siphoning off her life force.? She felt so betrayed, so hurt. Every sweet, caring smile he ever gave her morphed into Phantom smirking at her in her mind. Because of him she was stuck in the twilight zone.

 

That day she found him shaking and scared out of his mind it was because he had almost killed somebody. Not an accidental push or careless action like not watching the road. Somebody he was feeding on! How could the three of them be okay with it?! She scowled at the trapped boy.

 

“Val--oh shit!” Tucker gasped. The fractures and cracks were slowly resealing. Danny’s face contorted in pain and his body spasmed like he was being tased. “What’s happening?! We’re so close!”

 

Valerie was horrified.

 

Did I...do that? Oh my god!

 

Unfortunately there was a whole new problem. More mirrors appear standing straight up like an eerie fun house. Inside the first appeared...Dash? Then Paulina and then Kwan. As they frantically looked around, they saw Mr. Dane’s entire class, including him, sleeping on the other side.

 

“I think things just got worse.” Tucker gulped.

 

*I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!*

  
  


Downtown Amity Park was in shambles. By the grace of god no one had died yet but if this kept up it was only a matter of time. Clockwork and the Observants watched as the two halfa tore each other (and the town) apart.  It was very clear that the more intense the battle became, the more aggressive Daniel’s victims became. The Fentons had resorted to barricaded themselves in the room with Jazz’s prone form. The time spectre couldn’t hold it in anymore.

 

“Why is this happening?! Don’t give me that ‘we only observe’ speech. You lost that excuse when you tried to force me to destroy Daniel. Sylphine is obviously more powerful than you will admit and you fear her. Who is she? What did she mean by the all the things she said to you two when she was here?”

 

“That is not your concern.”

 

“Tha ‘ell it’aint!” shouted an voice. “This doodad be yers, boy-o neva’ knew it’was missin’. Ye round ‘eaded saps bett’r start a’splainin.”

 

Clockwork had just enough time to catch the cube with multi-colored and fractured surface. He looked at it and immediately felt dizzy. The Observants were shaking but there was no sign of the one who threw it. They were afraid of him!

 

But why?

  
  
  
  



	13. King Nothing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all. Thank you all so much for your support. Chapter 13, can you believe it? Yea!
> 
> Anyhoo, important notes ahoy.
> 
> First, there is a warning on this chapter for disturbing imagery...namely death of children in horrid ways.
> 
> Second this story's sequel will NOT be based in the DP world. It is set in the Young Justice-verse. YJ follows the sidekicks/partners of the DC universe's superheroes. The series itself has no problem reinventing characters and screwing with continuities (When Wally West is Kid Flash and the original Superboy exists, Richard Grayson is too old to be Robin anymore and has been Nightwing for sometime. That role was filled by Tim Drake also known as Red Robin and Hal Jordan should still be the only Green Lantern of Earth; at least that's how I understand it- which, truth be told, means fuck all. I don't claim to be an expert. Then again, the DC timeline spans from the 1930's till now and things have been flipped, switched, erased, etc to accommodate new characters, story-lines, alternate universes and bridge series created at different times, having nothing to do with each other, together. Doesn't help that comic book characters seem to age arbitrarily too...there goes my inner geek ranting away...) so don't be too alarmed if one is different than what you know, remember or have heard. Just knowing who the main characters are in the YJ continuity is about all you need to follow my story. Wikipedia is awesome for that. *shrugs* It's what I do when something I like gets crossed over with somethin' I've never heard of. You might find a whole new fandom to geek out over ^_^…
> 
> The story will be cannon up til the last few moments of 'Auld Aqaintances' (namely because I saw it after I wrote 'A Mother's Love' and the first three chapters of 'Parallels' and found all but the last minute or so still fit my story; so far the time skip is asterous, heavy on the dis but that's just me; if you didn't get that, don't worry) but it will have character cameos from this story. Parallels will not be published until this story ends.
> 
> Third this chapter explains what happened to cause Sylphine's arrival and more of the lore behind Guardians and Mages. Also there is a major revelation in both the dream and real worlds.
> 
> Here's Metallica's King Nothing to lead the way. Let's go!

 

Chapter 13

King Nothing

Fear...

Jealousy...

_...where are these feelings coming from?_

Confusion...

"Father we're different." A set of large red eyes looked up at him quite innocently. There were no pupils, only crimson pools filling those sockets much like his own eyes. Black hair clung to his small round face. "But why? Why do they hate us?"

_What's going on?_

Clockwork found himself standing, not floating, before a mirror that seemed to stretch forever in either direction in the white room. He could feel legs, not a ghostly tail. The mirror had no frame, no edges he could see. Just an endless expanse of glass. He and the boy were wrapped in white robes.

"Oidhche* they do not hate you, merely do not understand that you and Nikkou** are the way you are for a reason. The two of you are different because there must be balance in the universe. One Mage who has an affinity for the light, the other with an affinity for darkness. They don't see that there are shades of grey, that what is done in the dark is not always tainted nor is all that basks in the light pure."

_That is my voice but I do not remember those words._

Clockwork could see the puzzle cube he had seconds before held in his hand was the same one the child was holding. Except the child's was complete. Where there were four hole in the one held by the time spectre allowed the cube to be seen through, four spikes made of the same crystal as the box jutted out from those holes.

"But Father you maintain the balance. We are only your creations, just like them. I here them talking sometimes. They believe you made a mistake making us. We scare them." A child with white hair and eyes the color of emeralds tugged at his robe. These eyes too were like his own.

He could feel himself there but he wasn't  **there**. The person talking was him but  **not**. He saw his arm move to ruffle snowy locks but he had not willed it to. It seems as though he was experiencing a vision of some sort in first person. But why? This was not his life or rather afterlife.

"No Nikkou. The two of you represent the contrast that must exist in the world. Your names mean night and day, two things that are neither good nor evil yet exist in tandem. The Observants exist to help me keep watch for threats from realms beyond our own, to record history as it unfolds but the two of you must be apart of it. Sentience is a blessing and a curse my dear children. When one is aware, they are able to spark events, shape destiny even when they are not trying. My other creations are not happy I have given the two of you the power to interact with the universe freely."

"I still don't see-" Oidhche sighed but the other version of Clockwork merely laughed gently.

"All will become clear in time. For now, you two are but children who have much to learn and time to grow. What the Observants think is their own concern. The Cube of All holds this world together Oidhche and is the source of all my power. Be careful with it."

"But father we've watched stars form and die. We aren't that young." Nikkou pouted. "We've been watching the second, third, and fourth worlds from this young star there cool and turn blue. Oidhche thinks at least one will hold life soon but I think it will be some time before it's anything interesting." He pointed a tan finger at the large mirror and an image of the Earth's solar system appeared. Sure enough, the planets now known as Venus, Earth and Mars were covered in differing amounts of water and clouds. "There are other planets with civilizations that are more fun to watch though."

"Will one of us have to watch over the Cube one day?" Oidhche handed it back to his father.

"No. One day, you will develop your own items of power. It comes in time."

_This place, these children..._

Clockwork found himself struck by an terrible pain in his entire being. He became overwhelmed by emotions that he could not determine the cause of. It was as if his head was trying to explode.

Anger.

Hate.

Fear.

Desperation.

"Die abominations!" A new, angry voice barked. That voice became a chorus of angry shouts coming from all sides. Ones that sounded familiar.

Clockwork tried to open his eyes long enough to see the children again but only the right one would. The left eye was in excruciating pain. He felt hot thick blood cascading down his face and stinging the open eye. This other form of himself tried to stand but could do more than moan and twitch.

The scene had changed drastically. Horrifyingly so. The puzzle the black haired boy had returned to him had been broken. The variegated pieces shot out into the observing mirror but only the pieces that did so were the parts he caught in the clock tower before this whatever it was started. The original Cube that Vlad had managed to assemble.

Oidhche himself lay face down, surrounded by a red pool too large for the child to survive much longer. His tiny form stirred and attempted to crawl forward. His face was cut up and Clockwork noticed to his horror that as he moved, one of his legs did not. It stayed put, having been severed from his body. He was gasping, crying for his brother and father.

From his position on the ground, still trapped in the vision and unable to move and help, he saw a white cloaked figure kneeling over Nikkou's screaming form but the boy was obscured save the very top of his thrashing head. The figure moved swiftly as of lunging forward and that blood soaked mane jerked violently. The screaming stopped with a wet gurgle.

A second cloak descended upon the other boy and just as suddenly his cries and all movement stopped. The murderer stood and he could clearly see that a crystalline spire had been shoved into the base of the poor boy's neck. The same had been done to his brother. After a few moments of eerie silence, the spikes turned black and melted into the wounds they created. The corpses themselves simply faded away, like a ghost becomes invisible. Leaving behind only the sea of sanguine liquid against the otherwise pristine white floor.

He now knew where the two missing puzzle pieces were. Why the Billionaire had never found them in nearly two decades of searching.

He truly wished he didn't.

"This is your fault. You created those monsters!" The one who first shouted turned to him.

"To preserve all of existence they had to die. We know you've seen them manipulating lives like toys. They provide no balance, only create chaos as they see fit. We won't allow them to be reborn as you planned either." Another said. Though his face was hidden, he could hear the sneer in his voice. "Your precious puzzle will make sure of it."

"We will continue as you created us to act, as observers. Nothing will interfere with the natural progression of the universe. And you will help us see to that."

_No...this is no vision but a memory! A dark and terrible one._

"Your creation of those things weakened you master. The price of your weakness? You will serve us."

He looked to see this body being shrouded in purple mist that became the familiar cloak he always wore. Forming the many watches and clock related vestiges that were all he'd ever known. The symbols of his bondage.

"You've damned this world..." Was all he could rasp before his eyes rolled back into his head.

He remembered. His creations were jealous of Nikkou and Oidhche because they were more independent than them. The Observants were his servants at one time who came to believe he cared for his Mages more. To some extent it was true. The twins needed his guidance while his servants did not. They had to learn where as the monitoring duties were ingrained already.

This explained the jagged scar across the left side of his face as well.

All because of a desire for power, misunderstandings and daddy issues, his boys were slaughtered. Their abilities and souls warped by the very thing that gave them life, his Cube of All. His recovery from their creation had taken longer than expected and he had become enslaved because he could not defend himself or his boys. He had failed them in so many ways.

The universe began it's slow but steady path to destruction that Cube of All became synonymous with Pandora's Box for it unleashed all manner of horror into the world when broken. Unfortunately, no hope remained within for there was nothing to contain it. What's more, when his dear children had managed to be reborn so far into the future, they remembered nothing and became enemies. The Observants even tried to force him to destroy them when their ghost powers emerged. He now understood his drive to defy them.

When Venus superheated, Mars cooled to much for life, and Earth eventually produced humans  _she_  appeared having been ripped from her own universe. Her own mother and twin. In love with rainbows, butterflies and the color gold, Sylphine provided a pseudo balance of sorts doing the job of two Mages all by herself.

She had been suffering from the strain since she arrived. All the while smiling and giggling to hid her pain. After eons under such stress, he'd probably be a bit of a bitch too. Naturally much of her joy derived from pissing off the beings responsible for her situation. What better way than to secretly provide the lessons he could not to his Mages? Because she was not a natural part of their world and they had tied their own hands against taking action, they could do nothing but seethe as she did as she wished.

Payback, thyne eyes art golden.

*I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!*

"Oh, what fresh hell is this?" Tucker muttered to himself channeling one of his favorite sitcom characters.

The mirror with his best bud in it was repairing itself after they had nearly shattered it. A bunch of new mirrors full of their classmates had just shown up and you could cut the tension between Valerie and the team with a chainsaw.

"Val we understand that you feel betrayed but right now, we have to get Danny out of here!" Jazz pleaded.

"You don't understand a damned thing Jasmine. My life, my father's reputation he spent years building were destroyed by that monster! And it doesn't even end there. What part of 'feeding on human energy' went over your heads? He put those people in the hospital. Him! We're nothing but food to him, how can something like that have real feelings?" She didn't notice the tears streaming down her face as she ranted. "Danny... why?"

As much as she wanted to hate him for all he had done to her, for what he really was, she just couldn't. Even though Phantom had put her through hell, she just couldn't transfer those feelings to the awkward, shy and good natured Danny Fenton.

Droplets of conflicting emotions splattered onto the surface of the glass and the self repair halted. The remaining seams sparked.

"Oh man what is that?" Sam drew their eyes to Danny. Something thin and black was pressing outward from the skin of his throat. Like a macabre take on a plant shoot rising from the soil.

Almost every one looked. Valerie was unable as she had dropped to her knees, clutching the edge of the glass prison. So when where her hands were crumbled away and the mirror simply exploded, showering them in black sparkles, it scared the fuck out of them all.

An outline of a body formed then filled in. Danny appeared with his head in Ms. Grey's lap still out like a light. A 6 or 7 inch long thin black crystal floated inches above her head. It pulsed before all the color faded away leaving it clear like a diamond. Yet she didn't notice the jewelaaq. The instant he appeared she hugged him sobbing and shaking.

"I'm so sorry Danny!" she blubbered and all Team Phantom could do was stare in shock. Then everyone save an unconscious halfa jumped a mile when a chorus of shattering glass swept though the mirror garden. One by one their schoolmates' images simply vanished from the reflections shortly before they exploded as well.

The strange inky black miasma that hung about parts of the field dissipated. The similarly colored gnarled trees and sharp spires became columns like those that had not been corrupted by the mist. The sky became a pale cloudy blue.

Task completed, the four of them opened their eyes in the real world.

*I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!*

"What's wrong old man?" Phantom twirled the blade of his weapon by it's chain lazily as he looked down at a now human Vlad. The elder halfa was exhausted yet Phantom had energy to spare. Not hard when he could command his puppets to draw it from whoever they were near. As their battle raged, he had lost only a fraction of his power for every chunk Plasmius did. Not long before he changed back, people had realized photo ops were not worth risking their necks over and finally scattered.

"You wouldn't seriously kill me boy." Sea-foam eyes hardened from their position on the street. His opponent looming over him. "You're not a killer."

"Mmm...Danny? Nope. I'm a whole other animal Vlad." He lifted the kusari-gama over his head only to freeze. "Fuck! No, not now!"

Cracks and fissures appeared all over his body as if he were a china doll that was crumbling. Vlad was forced to shield his eyes from the light shining between the cracks. When he was able to look again, harmless Danny Fenton lay in a crumpled heap before him.

*I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *pronounced uh-yee-ch-ya (the ch is like in the Scottish word for lake, loch) and is Scots-Gaelic for night.
> 
> **pronounced neek-koh (ou sounds like the oa in coal) and is Japanese for daylight. I felt the name for day, hi (hee) or yobi (yoh-bee) were too short.
> 
> What do you think? Next up, we see Clockwork take back his title of Guardian and we learn what is to become of the universe when he does. The story is coming to a close y'all. Sirensoundwave, out!


	14. Had Enough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all. Hurray for chapter 14! Much love to everybody who keeps readin this thing ^_^
> 
>  
> 
> This chapter shows Clockwork regaining his title as Guardian of Reality (and his true name is revealed). Sorry it’s not longer but oh well.
> 
>  
> 
> Also this is the hidden song in the 'Hit the Floor' chapter. Sylphine says two lines of it in her phone call to Vlad ("No, you're simply a greedy little bastard who will get what he deserves when all is said and done”) with a few minor changes to make it flow like conversational dialogue. Here is Breaking Benjamin's 'Had Enough’.
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: Yes I forgot it last chapter. It’s missing from several chapters. Bite me.

 

 

Chapter 14

Had Enough

 

Hold me down (I will live again)

Pull me up (I will break it in)

Hold me down (let me in)

Hold me down!

 

You had to have it all

Well have you had enough?

You greedy little bastard

You will get what you deserve

  
  
  


The clock tower in the Ghost Zone was crawling with Observants; some were trying to find out why the parade of time for both worlds had become too hazy to view others had be trying to locate their puppet. Clockwork had just vanished when he caught the Cube of All. Pandora’s Box. Whatever. Bottom line? They were all fucked and they knew it.

 

To be fair, the Observants weren’t always such pricks. Their purpose had never changed; to record and observe. Their feelings about their lot in eternity did. All because of two sets of Christmas colored eyes. Those children were mistakes as far as they could tell. They shouldn’t have been allowed to play with the universe like a never-ending board game.

 

*Flashback*

 

“Nikkou look!” Oidhche smiled at a purple planet and it’s triple moons in the observation mirror. With a flick of his wrist, the clouds were blown into space revealing a surface of plants and oceans. Now exposed, the surface began to ice over. Various flora and fauna drifted into space.

 

“Ooo.” His twin awed. “Let me try.” Using a tan finger, the young Chaos Mage of Light touched the surface just over one of the moons. He traced a wide circle around the planet and the two watched the moon follow. The trajectory was such that as soon as the moon completed three full rotations, it was flung into the far reaches of space.

 

Watching this and boiling with anger was Gözlemek* part of the pair of chief Observants. Kayıt**, his partner, merely shook his hood. It was their job to oversee all of their kin. Unfortunately these two counted as well.

 

Before their coup, the Observants were pretty much blue shrouded anthropomorphic energy with disembodied voices.  They had no use for appendages really as they themselves were recording devices. Once they reached capacity, a crystal  bearing all they had observed would be created and loaded into what basically amounted to a universal supercomputer. Nikkou and Oidhche spent much of their time either reviewing these archives; of which Gozlemek and Kayit approved and indeed encouraged. The rest of their time was devoted to ‘exploration’; which the Obervants abhorred.

 

Even though they were millions of years old the Chaos Mages were in essence only children. Most of their explorations involved a lot of ‘let’s see what happens when...’ and ‘if we take it apart we can see how it works’. This is what irked the floating robes. They had no regard for order, life or principle.

 

Like the planet they had just stripped of an atmosphere and a satellite. It had life on it. Had being the operative word. The moon currently hurdling into deep space was probably going to hit another celestial body and do major damage. Most infuriating of all Master Ebedi*** only smiled at the destruction they caused. He would watch them do these terrible things as they sat on the floor of his throne room!

 

It could be argued that their Master would correct some of the damage they did. True, however it never seemed to be enough for his precious Mages. They grew to enjoy the havoc they created, like mortal children these days enjoyed setting ants a blaze with magnifying glasses. Also, the reversals were hindering his own recovery from giving life to those monsters.

 

Thus we have the schism in the way of thinking. Master Ebedi had created the Observants to preserve the order of the universe through observation alone. They made his own job easier by recording all so that he could focus on maintenance. Chaos Mages are just what their name implies-- harbingers of chaos. Chaos and Order are illusions is taken separately; they must exist together. Without chaos the universe would remain constant and never change. The Observants did not understand this. They only saw the destruction they wrought. It had to end.

  
  


*I am a linebreak! Beware!**I am a linebreak! Beware!**I am a linebreak! Beware!*

 

“Wel’ome back ta tha land o’ tha livin’.” Chainey smirked at the groggy teens.

 

“WHAT THE FU--!” Sam shouted only to have her voice abandon her halfway through the curse word.

 

“Now, now. M’lady’s sleepin’ lassie.” He waved her glare off pointing to what could only be described as a floating cocoon made of translucent golden threads. Inside, a small silhouette could be seen. “Ye did yer part. Now tha res’ be up ta r’ght ‘uns in charge.”

 

“Um... what is that? And what do you mean the right ones, what happened to Danny?” Valerie frowned. This guy had jerked her through strange black holes in space and nearly suffocated her with his massive hand over her mouth and nose. She still didn’t trust this freak. Or his floaty glowy...thing.

 

“Tha be M’lady. She’s tired an’ fin’lly able ta rest. As fer Danny-boy? Well he be ‘un of tha r’ght ‘uns. Jus sit back an’ re’ax. T’won’t make no nevamind in a bit. Not ta tha two of us.” The Irishman laughed at their confused faces. He laughed even harder when the trio vanished in a shower of butterflies.

 

*I am a linebreak! Beware!**I am a linebreak! Beware!**I am a linebreak! Beware!*

 

"I must say I am rather dissappointed in you, all of you. But mostly you two Gozlemek, Kayit."

 

Clockwork had appeared silently behind the two who spent most of their time lording over him. To their horror, he was no longer in his ghostly form, shifting from child to man to elder. No, he stood in white robes laced with gold and black designs resembling stars and moons. For the first time in many years, they could see his short cut black hair streaked with silver. His skin was almost white and his eyes were black flicked with white like the night sky. His time staff was now topped with the nearly complete Cube of All. No longer a ghost in servitude but the god he had always been, he did not look happy. Seriously, would you be?

 

“M-master Ebedi...” Kayit gulped. Well, he made the sound which was still odd as he had no mouth. Frozen in fear his body would not obey his brain’s frantic cries to ‘Move your ass!’.

 

“Oh save it. You took advantage of my weakness and turned this world on it’s head.” He snapped. “My children have been twisted into monsters; made to suffer with powers they could not understand driving them insane. Did you really think that killing their bodies would destroy them? That trapping me as your lap dog would be permanent?”

 

The two of them wisely stayed silent before dropped to their knees blubbering about doing what was best for the fabric of timespace, how they believed the Mages were an evil in the making and oh yeah, PLEADING FOR THEIR EXISTANCE. Their brothers and sisters several feet away were cowering in fear and followed suit. Ebedi rolled his eyes at the sea of quaking and groveling. A tick mark appeared on his forehead.

 

“Silence you imbiciles!” He roared pinching the bridge of his nose. Instant quiet. “Now I don’t really give a damn what the lot of you have to say for yourselves. A child of one of my sisters has been shouldering the weight of this reality on her own while her twin did the same in her home reality. You screwed up big and you can’t fix it. I’m not even sure how much damage control I can do in this state. But I do know one thing. For what you’ve done you will pay dearly. But I will not decide it. No that will be up to your worst nightmares. I’m sure you remember how fond the twins were of...experimenting with things.”

 

The chuckle that followed chilled them to their cores. It continues long after he faded away.

 

*I am a linebreak! Beware!**I am a linebreak! Beware!**I am a linebreak! Beware!*

 

Vlad blinked dumbly at the boy that had been about to decapitate him seconds before. The child was passed out and snoring loudly amidst the rubble as if he were in his own bed. Though grateful to whatever caused it, he was unsure of what to do next. He had greatly underestimated Daniel. All his planning had proved futile. The cube was not of any use if that little bitch knew about it. Besides it was incomplete.

 

He looked up when he noticed something twinkling against the smoke filled sky. A clear object the size of a pencil suspended in the air above the young halfa. More confused blinking before his vision went white and pain exploded in his neck. Something hot trying to press it’s way out of the base of his skull and to hell with the bone and tissue in the way. He could feel the blood pouring down his back and staining his grey hair.

 

He reached behind him clawing at the hard object forcing itself out out of him but the slick blood and his own fatigue made it too hard to grip properly and pull out. As things began to blur, he vaguely recalled how this had happened to him before at some point in the past. Only in reverse and much faster. The last thing he saw was the helm of a stangely familiar robe.

 

“My poor children. Do not worry. All will be as it should.” Ebedi struck the ground with the butt of his staff and the three of them were gone. The street and surrounding buildings were restored.

 

All over town,  people found themselves wondering why they were hiding. Why they had baricaded themselves in a room. Why they were in hospital gowns and standing around people struggling to get up. Why they were milling about the school gym, cafeteria and auditorium when classes were suppose to be in session. Hell, why were they even in a school when there were important research projects to attend to.

 

Only four souls knew anything but were far from sure of just what they knew. In addition to the uber weird dreamworld, they were wondering when they got spirals tattooed on their left palms.

 

And how the hell they got to the Fenton Works Lab. Standing in front of the Ghost Portal no less.

 

*I am a linebreak! Beware!**I am a linebreak! Beware!**I am a linebreak! Beware!*

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Turkish for Observe; pronounced gooz-leh-mech; their was an umlaut over the o
> 
> **Turkish for Report; pronounced k-eye-yecht
> 
> ***Turkish for Eternal; pronounced eh-beh-dee
> 
> Google translate rocks. Sorry to any Turks I may offend if the translations aren’t correct.
> 
>  
> 
> Sorry for the wait, I have to do real work on the job now :-( but I promised to have this up by today.
> 
>  
> 
> This is not the end! I promised to explain everything and I will in the next few chapters.
> 
>  
> 
> So far we know Sylphine is a Chaos Mage from another world who has been holding the DP universe together at great harm to herself (no real balance only her doing the job of two being alone) while torturing the Observants and secretly trying to teach her damaged counterparts to control their powers. Danny/Nikkou and Vlad/Oidhche are really the Chaos Mages of this world and Clockwork/Ebedi is their father. The Cube pieces have all been found because Valerie and Team Phantom helped Danny conquer his inner darkness and purified the piece that was tainted by being rammed into his throat several millenia ago. Now those four are the only ones who remember the last 6 hours. Yes, this entire story took place in one day so far minus flashbacks and introspective thoughts. What’s left is to explain a few plot holes and show just what happens next.
> 
>  
> 
> Stay tuned. Sirensoundwave out!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all. Sorry for the wait!
> 
> I’ve gotten some questions from readers a bit confused by some things. Don’t worry, you didn’t miss anything, it’s just not there. On purpose. This is almost the final chapter of the story itself. We will get some of these questions answered now, some in the last chapter and epilogue...like:
> 
> Why are Vlad and Danny different ages if Oidhche and Nikikou died at the same time?  
> Why was Sylphine so mean to Vlad and how exactly did she help Danny?; Why did she let them both go bat shit crazy?  
> What up with their weapons?  
> Who the fuck is Chainey and where has he been all this time? (This answer actually fits the cartoon oddly enough)  
> What happened to Sylphine?  
> Ebedi erased everyone’s memories except Team Phantom and Valerie. What about his Mages? What now that the Cube of All is complete?
> 
> There will be an epilogue that leads into the sequel Parallels.
> 
> Staind’s So Far Away gets us going. Let’s go!

Chapter 15

So Far Away

Now that we're here,

It's so far away

All the struggle we thought was in vain

All in the mistakes,

One life contained

They all finally start to go away

Now that we're here it's so far away

And I feel like I can face the day, and I can forgive

And I'm not ashamed to be the person that I am today

 

"Okay..." Valerie looked about the basement lab with a mix of awe and disgust. "Now what?"

The Fentons were far from neat. The tables and counter space were covered in half finished experiments, notes and various other debris. Including a plate of fudge wayyy past it's prime. But what was complete was the very high tech gear that she had seen the Fentons, Phantom; Tucker and Sam using on a regular basis.

In a back corner, a bunch of weapons she had never seen them use before rested in a glass case. There was red tape reading CAUTION! USE AT OWN RISK! wraped in an X across the front. All were marked with the FentonWorks logo like normal but just under that was a symbol that kinda reminded her of an O that was open at the bottom and had feet. There was a red circle and line through the symbol.

Anti-omega weapons.

She had heard of them while spying on the Goons in White a year ago. Supposedly, ghosts like Phantom were too powerful to be destroyed by normal ectoplasmic weapons. She never really paid the technobabble any attention but she did know that the means to power such devices was so unstable that there was a 50/50 shot of blowing oneself and a 3 mile wide radius to hell as well as the target when fired. They were to be used under Omega Level Attack Protocol only. It always bothered her that 'Omega Level Attack Protocol' never included evacuating citizens. They were to be considered collateral damage. Bastards.

"Well, I think we're supposed to go into the Zone." Tucker stared at the portal doors. "We still don't know where Danny is or if he's okay.

On cue, the portal doors were thrown open and all four of them were sucked inside. After and eternity, they landed in a heap on a polished stone floor.

"Why am I always on the bottom?" Tucker groaned. Once again he found himself getting up unaided. No love at all for the techno whiz-

"Hi guys!" A very chipper, very young voice rang out and the group did a double take.

Standing before them in a white toga like outfit and barefoot was what they could only describe as a mini Danny Phantom. His white hair was down his back and the entirety of both eyes were a deep emerald green. He smiled at them as they gawked back.

"D-danny?" Jazz exclaimed.

"Yeah?" He blinked up at her confused by her reaction. His attention turned to the second child partially hidden behind a pillar. Blue tinge, blood red eyes and long black hair. One guess.

Mini-Danny ran up to the hiding child and gently pulled him closer to the teens. He appeared to be voicing his protest but the other child paid no mind.

"It's okay." The tan boy smiled at him and pulled him closer.

"But what if they hate me? I was so mean to them." he mumbled not meeting their gazes. The floor was far more interesting to him. His pale blue face burned with a deep crimson blush. He knew they had figured out who he had been by their expressions. He felt terrible about who he had been before.

"That wasn't you. The crystal hurt you and made you bad. It's gone so now everything is okay." The other child spoke as if reading his twin's mind. Mini-Danny turned to the human quartet and grinned like a loon. "I'm Nikkou. This is my twin brother Oidhche. We used to be Danny Fenton and Vlad Masters. Then Father woke up and he fixed everything." Mini-Phantom spoke as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Oidhche was still still trying to figure out how to just melt into the background.

"Hi." He mumbled shyly before slipping his hand away from his brother and vanishing in a pink flash. Nikkou, Danny...who ever the little boy with snowy hair was, shook his head.

"Used to be?" Sam's heart sank. One of her best friends used to be...what? This little boy wasn't a ghost and he damn sure wasn't human. Same with his brother. So...

"Time out!" Seems it was Valerie's turn to have a mental fit. She waved her arms around as she began to rant. "What the hell? My day started out awesome! I aced a history test, I got a text that my prick boss got fired this morning. I even found 5 bucks in the parking lot. Then the school is on lockdown and creepy people herd us around like cattle and I almost get killed. But wait! My hero is a Lucky Charms mascot reject that kidnaps me and drags me to see Masters who I also found out is a monster in disguise. Crazy Irish guy then drops me in crazytown and I find out one of the sweetest people I know is the jerk I've been trying to waste for almost two years. To set him free and save the fucking world, we have to break a magic mirror with our feelings of all things. Then I get dragged into this freakshow world and now you say you're Danny? Seriously, how old are you? 8?"

"Age is such a relative thing, as is time in general Ms. Grey. Do you feel better now that you let all of that out?" An amused chuckle caused the gang to look left.

"Hello Father." Nikkou smiled.

Standing by the observation orb was a tall man dressed in white robes. The robes were adorned with intricate black and gold stitches that reminded them of the night sky through a powerful telescope. His eyes were like a clear night sky flecked with stars, pale skin that glowed against the robe.

"Um..." Tucker blinked.

"Ah yes. Two of you know me in the form of my bondage." The image of the purple clad time spectre he once was superimposed over him. Jasmine, Valerie I was once known as Clockwork, Keeper of Time. To all of you, my true name is Ebedi, Guardian of Reality. I should like to tell you all a story. Please sit."

Four chairs appeared and the teens cautiously obliged. Nikkou merely hopped into the air crossing his legs. And simply remained hovering in the lotus position. Sam and Tucker couldn't process this. Their best bud was now a child. A child that had a strange aura about him. A child that had called Clock-Ebedi 'father' with such warmth in his voice. They saw that Jazz was on the verge of tears. She was probably terrified that she was losing her brother. Valerie's expression told them the answer to the regal man's previous question was 'hell no'.

"The universe as you know it has not always been. Your teachers will tell you that it came into being after a singularity expanded violently. In fact it is not far from the truth. This realm, the Ghost Zone as it has been dubbed, was once the domain in which I resided eons ago. You were correct in assuming it is the 'flipside' of your planet. However, it is actually the counterpart to all of the universe. What you have explored is but a fraction of it." Ebedi sighed at their expressions. Confusion played across each face. " What that means is I have always been. This realm has always been. But the universe itself was created when I set the expansion in motion. As time passed, the beginnings of stars, planets and the multitude of objects that hang in the night sky formed. There was much to attend to in order to insure it did not stagnate. Progress requires change but the task of monitoring such progress was, I must confess, tedious. So, I created the beings known as Observants. As their name implies, they acted as watchers, seeing how the universe progressed." The observation globe morphed into a mirror that seemed to stretch on forever. It reflected the Guardian setting the physical plane in motion merely by waving the staff he led. Then his manipulation of left over energy to create the first of many of the beings that would later make his life hell.

"So we exist cuz you got bored one day. Then you got lazy and lost interest. Sounds like the Christian God to me." Sam snarked and Valerie looked at her as if she had grown another head. How smart was it to antagonized the guy who created the universe?

_Wait, he's God? It did make sense if he created everything..._

"I assure you Ms. Grey, Ms. Manson, I am not the deity spoken of in the Christian bible. Nor am I of any other faith. They came into being after my imprisonment. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. As the observants did their duty, I noticed that I was rather lonely. My creations were sentient but not in the way I desired. Next I created my beloved sons. Nikkou here to be the living manifestation of what Chinese philosophers would later call Yin. His brother, the opposite Yang. Neither is pure good or evil as I sense your thoughts are proceeding down that path. Good and Evil are merely constructs of intellect. Yin and Yang are merely the antithesis of one another. Neither can exist without the other. How can one know what ligh is if it has never been dark? Or vice versa?" Ebedi waved his staff and the timid mini-Plasmius shimmered into existence beside his brother.

"Eek!" The squeak he made was to manly what night was to day. His first instinct was to hide from their gazes behind his father's robes. The pale man chuckled at his son's reaction before gently leading him by the arm to stand in front of him.

"I my haste to educate and nurture Oidhche and Nikkou I failed to realize my Observants had grown jealous and hateful of them. I had given the twins the means to interact not just observe the universe. They could influence the development of planets, the death of stars. The chief Observants Gozlemek and Kayit saw only that the twins held no regard for life or order. That I allowed them to create and destroy on a whim without repercussion. They couldn't understand that the chaos the twins created encouraged the natural progression of thing otherwise no change or evolution could come about.

So knowing they couldn't destroy these agents of chaos fully, they trapped them and myself. This was done by stealing, shattering and casting the pieces of this cube to the depths of the cosmos, save two. I had not anticipated that I would be weakened for so long after their creation. Nor did I expect my servants to betray me." The Cube of All flashed a deep angry red atop his staff. A clear sign that he was barely containing eons of rage. "I watched helplessly as my dearest children were murdered savagely. Gozlemek and Kayit forced the remaining pieces of the cube into their bodies, ensuring that they would be lost in an endless cycle of rebirth instead of returning to their true home.

My power severly weakened, I was forced to become a slave to my own creations; my memories erased. Told that it was they who made me for the sole purpose of maintaining time's flow. And for millions of years, this was the case. I served them well, unaware of just how backwards and dire the situation truly was."

"That's horrible! Oh, I didn't mean to interrupt!" Jazz covered her mouth, a sheepish expression in her face. A gentle smile was his reply.

"It's quite alright my dear. Things began to change when mankind arose on Earth. The Observants took what I believed to be an unusual interest in the young world when there were so many that had long since developed civilizations across the universe. Only recently did I learn why."

_*Flashback (several)*_

" _AAAIIIEEE!" A shriek shook the Clocktower followed closely by a speeding streak of golden light. The comet like object rocketed overhead as the Observants looked up. It seemed that it was going to pass by before abruptly dropping out of its arc and landing inches from the two._

" _No!" Kayit exclaimed when the glow faded. The projectile had been a very lovely young woman who now lay unconscious in the small crater caused by her fall. A mass of long coal black hair splayed across the damaged floor beneath her and partially covered her pixy frame. Her skin was the color of shea nut shells, a rich light brown. Her lips dusty pink in color were parted in a pained expression. She was wearing the same type of robe as the two little abominations they had dealt with so long before. Though she was...much older in appearance. A human teenager by his estimate._

" _How can another be born? Ebedi is our puppet now!" Gozlemeck shouted, jestering flippantly at the new arrival.._

" _We must get rid of her lest she undo everything. We've done it before." Kayit snarled._

" _I'm not knocked out you rubes." She mumbled before rolling onto her stomach and shakily getting to her knees. Golden eyes glared at them through the cascade of hair._

" _Begone from here, whatever you are." The two boomed at her as she stood up._

" _Pfft. Two walking eyeballs ordering a Chaos Mage around? Are you feeling brave or have you gone out of your mind? Where is your Guardian?" The young girl narrowed her eyes before widening them in shock. "So I have you to thank for this sudden change of venue...You ripped me away from those I love."_

" _Such lies. Leave here and return from whence you came girl." She had no idea which one spoke seeing as they had no mouths. Due to the lack of an echo though, she knew only one had said something._

" _First of all, my name is Sylphine, Empress of the Immortal Dawn. Second, you should have thought about that before you upset the balance of your own world, and forcing me to fix it. Don't bother to deny it the very atmosphere of this place is tainted with betrayal and the beginnings of ruin!" She placed her hands on her hips looking nothing like a majestic goddess and everything like a pissed off high school girl. After a moment of thought, a sinister smirk crept across her lips. "And I will enjoy undoing what you have done, watching your plans unravel and laughing at your misery as you fear your fate."_

" _The time it would take to do anything of the sort is too great girl. You haven't the ability." Once again she had no idea which one spoke. It did not matter for in an instant, she was surrounded by a purple dome. She quirked an eyebrow at the force field meant to deter her before giggling like a small child._

" _Oh you know nothing of my abilities. You can't cage the wind." Sylphine waved her hand and the prison exploded violently, showering the two of them with it's remains. "And what is time to an immortal? Be seeing you."_

_*The scene fades to another. The same girl is walking with Vlad Masters on the campus of Wisconsin U. She is laughing and smiling at a very innocent looking version of him.*_

" _I'm so over this chemistry junk. Like what's an art major need with it anyways?" She twirled her straight hair on her finger, loudly chewing her gum in valley girl fashion._

" _Well Syl the board of education says you do if you want to graduate. I gotta get to class, see you Saturday. Doyle's letting us test our ecto portal project today. Don't forget your notebook this time. We don't take the same science classes."_

" _Like, cheeyeah. But you totally, like, have to come with me to the mall Saturday evening . You're a total Richie and you dress like a mondo Herb." She blew a bubble._

" _Not really a trendie Syl-"_

" _Like duh. But this is the last 4 years of freedom you'll have before like the real world majorly turns your life into a dead dream-o-rama. You got like an okay bod, let's show it off even just a scoche." She giggled._

" _Okay? Now I'm not sure if I should be flattered or insulted...fine." He sighed and she stuck out her tongue at him._

" _No fake? Outrageous! Like bring Jack-man and Mads too! Later days!" She dashed off in the opposite direction and disappeared behind a few trees before he lost sight of her. Once there she scowled. "I sounded like an idiot."_

" _W'll m'lady ya met yer goal ta get 'em ta trust ya wit tha goofy speak." A hearty laugh sounded from behind her. A tall red headed man materialized out of thin air._

" _Shame I have to crush his spirit like this. Take everything away and give him a heart full of such hate and obsession. But it's the only way to motivate him enough to search for the cube fragments. Once he has the power to do so of course." She held out her hand and he placed a small doo-dad with a frayed wire in her palm. She rolled it around between her fingers before it burst into flames and the wind scattered to ashes. "He has an inkling of what's to come from the dreams I've given him but this 'accident' will set things in motion. Sylphine Glenns will go missing tomorrow but Professor Doyle will stay on through the semester, won't he?"_

"' _Course m'lady, wouldn't do ta cause su'picion in her dis'pearance. People talk donna they?" The man's voice deepened and his loud hawaiian shirt and painter pants were replaced by a tweed suit. "I'm off, classes ta teach. 'plosions ta watch."_

_*New scene. The Fenton Household circa mid-nineties. A punkish girl is standing with them in their living room*_

" _Don't worry. I'm a pro with kids Mr. and Mrs. Fenton. Enjoy your night out."_

" _Alright Sylphine. You know, you remind me of a girl I used to know in college. Same name and eyes but she just vanished one day..." Jack stared at her critically before Maddie handed him his coat._

" _See you guys later."_

_As soon as the door closed, 4 year old Danny and 6 year old Jazz stared at their new sitter. They vaguely wondered what had happened to Ms. Malone. But that was okay. She was closer to their age and she even brought them presents! A picture book about space for Danny and a plushie butterfly for Jazz._

" _She can keep Bearbert company." Sylphine whispered and Jazz's face lit up in awe._

" _Will you teach us to play checkers?" The little girl brought out the board and pieces while her brother climbed into a chair at the table._

" _Of course. I promise, I'll teach you lots of cool things."_

*I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!*

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda wanted to see how much 80's slang I could cram in that scene with Vlad and Sylphine :-D
> 
> Soo whadya think huh? More about Sylphine's behind the scenes role to come as we begin to wrap everything up. I AM NOT DEAD! See ya'll soon. Sirensoundwave out!


	16. Until the End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. This is it, the last chapter with any actual plot progression. The last few mysteries are explained. The song for this chapter is so fitting that I couldn't just put one or two verses, I put the whole thing at the beginning. Breaking Benjamin's Until the End takes us home. Let's go!

Chapter 16

Until the End

So clever, whatever

I'm done with these endeavors

Alone I walk the winding way

(Here I stay)

 

It's over, no longer

I feel it growing stronger

I live to die another day

Until I fade away

 

Why give up?

Why give in?

It's not enough, it never is

So I will go on until the end

 

We've become desolate

It's not enough, it never is

But I will go on until the end

 

Surround me

It's easy to fall apart completely

I feel you creeping up again

(In my head)

 

It's over, no longer

I feel it growing colder

I knew this day would come to end

So let this life begin

 

Why give up?

Why give in?

It's not enough, it never is

So I will go on until the end

 

We've become desolate

It's not enough, it never is

But I will go on until the end

 

I've lost my way

I've lost my way

But I will go on until the end

 

Living is hard enough

Without you

FUCKING UP!

 

Why give up?

Why give in?

It's not enough, it never is

So I will go on until the end

 

I've lost my way

I've lost my way

But I will go on until the end

 

The final fight I win

The final fight I win

The final fight I win

But I will go on until the end.

 

"Wait, so the woman who inspired me to be who I am was the same little witch that trapped us all in Danny's head. " Sam folded her arms and glared at the scene unfolding in the Infinity Mirror.

" Yes, Sylphine has been shaping the events in all 4 of you lives to meet her own ends. She has been a part of each of your lives at some point; be it as a babysitter, a teacher, a writer and activist, that friend or family member that you lost contact with, or merely a nameless a face in the crowd." Ebedi sighed then let a smirk play across his lips. "As unique as her name is she never changed it. Nor her appearance save her age. And none of you noticed."

Images of all the persona's she had assumed over the years appeared one by one. The ditsy art major; the super cool sitter; the author that got Sam into saving the planet, ultra recyclo-vegitarianism, and the goth scene; the cousin that showed Tucker how to hack through his first fire wall; the Axiom executive that transfered Mr. Grey to Amity Park and blocked Vlad's hostile takeover. They were all her.

They had spent the better part of forever watching the dance between the Chaos Mage Sylphine and the Observants through the ages. She knew that the two Mages of this reality could only be freed if they were close enough to each other to form some sort of relationship in one lifetime. There had only been a few points in history where they had even been born on the same continent much less than 100 mile radius. Because of human nature, they also tended to pass away before meeting one another or be so far apart in age or social status that they would have no reason to interact if they should meet.

Sylphine's ability to disrupt the predictability of the time-stream was a double edged sword. It was her presence, not anything she was actively doing, that caused the phenomenon. It meant the Observants had a hard time monitoring her activities but she also had problems with seeing vital parts of the future herself. It meant that she was often unaware of where the next incarnations were until after they were born. Luckily her opponents were in the same boat.

Aiding this dilemma was the simple fact that souls have no fixed appearance or gender; they are just essence. You don't necessarily look like your past or future self. That meant if Nikkou was a Melanesian (You know, the native people of Vanuatu, it was a setting for a whole season of Survivor people...New Guinea?...All those dots of land directly northeast of Australia?... Captain Cook charted 'em?...Really?... Fuck it, find a map.) chieftain in one life, Oidhche could have been watching the spread of the Islamic Empire into Persia through the eyes of a slave girl around the same time. It began to seriously piss Syl off after about the Bronze age.

She saw her only chance would be to forcefully will her magic to see the future.

Good idea, bad idea type deal.

Good idea because she now knew that both would be about the same age attending the same college in the 80's. Both would also strongly resemble their former selves as Mages. Bad idea because it severely weakened her already straining powers for a while. She would not be able to stop the meddling if the Observants this one time...

_*Wisconsin U Vlad, Maddie and Jack's freshman year. A young man stood outside the Badger Cafe cleaning tables after the mid-day rush. He's the spitting image of a more mature version of Danny Fenton.*_

" _Yo, Dexter! I'm on break!" His manager called out to him as he walked to his car. "Be back in 30."_

" _Okay Reggie." Dexter looked up to see a young girl staring at a map with growing frustration a few feet away. It was one of the university layout on it. "Uh, need help?"_

" _Like fer sure. I can't find my dorm room. I gots like a map and a piece of paper with grody handwriting when I went to the Dorm offices." She huffed tossing her backpack in a chair. "But like I'm totally starved. Like what's good here?"_

" _Oh, well grilled cheese and tomato basil soup, tuna melt, burgers are primo but take a while...lemme get a menu." He walked off as Sylphine pretended to stare at the map. For some reason, she had been feeling off for a while. Still, having been in pain since she arrived in this reality, she ignored it, wondering instead how she would get the two boys from two different circumstances to meet._

_Dexter Calhoun was a very out going young man. His major was astrophysics but he was of the rare breed that could party hard all weekend and still be competent to attend classes the next week and maintain a 4.0 GPA. He was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA to a lower class family. He was the only child two steel workers who expected the same of him. The two fought like cats and dogs, only staying together for financial stability. Stellar grades and a drive to get as far away from his broken home as possible earned him several scholarships. He worked part time at the cafe for pocket money._

_Vladimir grew up in the lap of luxury with a loving mother and cold, distant father who were both self made millionaires in the stock market. Vlad was constantly put down by his father for his lack of business drive and 'infatuation with that nonsense' known as paranormal studies. Only his mother encouraged his dreams while his little sister Emma aspired to help him prove ghosts were real one day. He met Jack Fenton and Maddie Westbrook in senior year at high school. He was bookish and only went out with his closest friends but would rather spend Saturday night alone having realized he was the third wheel in the group. Sad but true._

_A party guy mentality masking anger and frustration to a total lack of self confidence and an obsession with the dead. Interesting pair they would make. The wind witch materialized an iced tea in her hand to sip while she waited wincing as she did; it wouldn't be hard to convince him she'd had it before he left. Too bad she would never get the chance._

" _Here we-" The young man jogged back._

_VVVVVVRRRRRRMMMMMM!_

" _Look out!"_

" _Holy shit!"_

_CRASH!_

_Sylphine found herself lying dazed in the street. It took a moment for her to recognize that she was now feet away from what had been the sidewalk cafe. It resembled a war zone now. She had been planning, not really paying attention when she was picked up and shoved into the street. By Dexter, who's broken body was now pinned between the partially demolished front wall and a blue sedan that was still spinning it's wheels. It was generating noxious, blinding smoke and a god awful screeching noise._

_How ironic, the fragile human had sacrificed himself for an immortal._

" _Shit! Not now!" She dashed to the driver side door and turned to car off. The driver offered no resistance; he was having a seizure. It wasn't that she didn't care but well, the boy under the front of the car was her major concern. She waved her hand to move the vehicle but it only rolled back a little. "What the hell?"_

_She resorted to pushing once she wedged herself between the bumper and the brick. Yet try as she might, she couldn't budge the 2 tons of metal. Option three was to try and keep him alive long enough for help to arrive._

" _Dex, hold on!" She pressed her hands to his prone form, a golden glow forming around the two of them. But as soon as it appeared, it crackled and faded away. She felt her core lurch and constrict in pain. No...she was losing her abilities! It's why she hadn't sensed the car. Why she couldn't stop it. "I won't let you die!"_

_Tears streamed her face as she summoned the glow again. If she couldn't directly heal him, she hoped she could draw enough of his injuries into herself to give him a chance. There was an agonizing scream when her ribs shattered yet she didn't let go. She wasn't sure how long she tried, exactly when she blacked out. The last thing she remembered was telling him "I'm sorry." That and echoed cackling._

_Golden eyes opened, met with emerald green ones framed by fiery red hair._

" _M'lady ye gave meh a ter'ble fright!" Chainey exclaimed._

" _Dexter!" She shot up regretting it instantly when her ribs cried foul._

"' _E's dead. I'm sorry. Bu-t..." In his hand was a a golden egg shaped ball if light. "'E's not really gone. Ye held on so tight, 'is soul couldna leave."_

" _Those bastards! They waited till I was too weak to protect him! So close dammit!" Her eyes burned bright, her hair took on a the qualities of a snake's nest. "Oh it is so on! They will burn for this!"_

" _Calm down now. Ye need ta rest. I donna think they know he 'asn't moved on yet, yer spell only negat'd da time distortion tem'orarily. An'a they ain't gonna risk da otha uhn followin' so 'e's safe." The wind demon laid his master down and covered her up again while she growled in frustration. "Jus a lil setback tis all."_

" _How long was I out?"_

" _Meh... three days. Aye got to ye befer the EMTs showed up."_

_*End*_

As her body healed and her powers returned, her plans changed from forming a relationship of love and friendship to one of hate and psychosis. Such a bond was just as powerful. She would make Vlad jealous of his former friends and covet their family life. The ecto acne incident offered him some protection from those meddling eyeballs having partially awakened his true powers. The death of his closest family would turn out to be a lucky break as well...so to speak. And when he was ready, she would begin the same process with young Daniel...once he was reborn as the Fenton's son.

When she could not watch one Mage, Chainey did. He was that random substitute teacher or that guy you saw in the background but never really paid attention to at the mall. She hated what she had to do but it was better than all of creation resetting. Especially if there was hope for them to return to what they were before their family was ripped apart by fear and paranoia.

Those nosy, vindictive Halloween decorations were directly responsible for all the misery in their lives.

"Why are you showing us this? I mean I understand now why Vlad turned into such a fruit loo-"Jazz paused when she saw Oidhche flinch. "Why he became who he is...was...whatever but, why explain any of this to us?"

"Cuz you guys get to make a choice. It's only fair. If you hadn't woke me up in time the universe would have fallen apart." Nikkou spoke at last. "If you go back to Earth as you are, you will be just like everyone else, today didn't happen for them. But..."

"If you let us disengage you from the bonds of mortality, you could become more like us. You could still do all the hero stuff but with your own powers and defenses." Oidhche broke his silence cautiously. "You could live your lives and protect the people you love instead of always being victims. Pursue your dreams in a new way. "

"You mean kill us?" Valerie backed away slowly.

"We're not mortal, but we aren't dead Val. You could be like Sylphine's friend Chainey." Nikkou rolled his eyes. "We're cosmic entities, we subsist on the energy of the universe itself because we are the energy of the universe. It's why Oidche and I were draining people before. Our bodies needed full batteries to work. Since we were no longer connected to the energy of all things, we had no choice but to take it from the nearest source."

"Which happened to be humans. That's pretty much why ghosts exist here the way they do. Living things age and die because souls literally burn them out slowly. With enough desire to remain after death or enough trauma souls no longer connected to a living body are forced to absorb what they can from others by way of their obsession to maintain their ghostly bodies. Strong emotions and beliefs can manifest the same way. Ghosts that reside here are able to draw thier power from the realm itself. It's not like that in other universes." Oidhche finally looked up at them. "But father can't fix it without destroying the world as it is."

"Other universes..." The four of them looked at one another.

Should they go back and just forget everything they just learned? They could be normal...right. The four of them were ghost fighters, not exactly approved of extracurricular activities. They had all come to accept long ago that they might not make it to old age because of it but it was the right thing to do. They understood why things were the way they were now and had the chance to do something about it.

Sam pondered what she could do for the planet; restore it to it's proper order and help preserve it for future generations.

Tucker thought of how technology would progress into the future and how he could be apart of it. Cool powers and flying cars!

Jazz considered how many people she could help, really help with all the experience time would give her. How she could guide so many through the horrors of their pyschological torment.

Valerie would be able to repay her father for all he'd done for her and how much of a brat she had been. And be a real protector, not just a puppet with ignorance and vengeance pulling her strings.

But still what about families of their own one day? Children and lovers?

"You could still have that. You would be able to live any life you'd like. But understand those you encounter or become parents to would still be tethered to the mortal coil. Unless they have already passed on. I must have your decision soon." Ebedi said. "Time has stopped in the human world but not for you. Your bodies cannot take the strain of extended stays here. Not yet."

….

"I'm in. I for one want to have kids and at least appear to grow old. The next big baddie attacks and that might not happen." Valerie was surprisingly the first to decide. "Who will protect my dad if I don't remember all this?"

"Our folks are brilliant but hapless when it comes to a real fight. Besides I still want to see my little brother. I want to remember this crazy day too." Jazz smiled.

"Of course I'm in. I want to save the world, all of it not just the people trashing it." Sam declared. "And stay with my friends."

"...Always on the bottom, always last. I'm gonna do it too. I wanna live to see us colonize space!" Tucker whooped. "Er...hangin with you guys ain't half bad either."

"Yay!" Nikkou cheered.

"I get the chance to be nice to you guys." Oidhche smiled, no longer feeling like an outsider.

"Very well. All is as it should be. Finally." Ebedi brought the end of his staff down onto the floor and blinding light engulfed everything.

*I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!**I am a line break! Beware!*

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's then end folks. Sorta. You get to find out, what happened to Sylphine, what Ebedi did to the Observants and how everyone is 5 years in the future (not to mention what powers they all got) in the epilogue. Then you'll get into the lead in for Parallels. See ya soon. Sirensoundwave out!


	17. Epilogue: I'm Alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the epilogue/ sequel teaser chapter. Remember the sequel will be under Young Justice and no this will not be the last you hear of the main characters in this story. The song I'm Alive by Disturbed wraps thing up. Let's do this!

Epilogue

I'm Alive

 

Never, again, will I be dishonored And never, again, will I be reminded

I'm living, within, the world of the jaded

The true inspiration, it's my obligation to

Never, again, allow this to happen Where do I, begin? The choices are endless

Denying, the sin, my art my redemption

I carry of the torch of my followers before me

 

The thing I treasure most in life, cannot be taken away

There will never be a reason why I will surrender to your advice

To change myself I'd rather die

No they will not understand

I will make the greatest sacrifice You can't predict where the outcome lies

You'll never take me alive

  
  
  


"Get back here Welp!" Skulker yelled firing his new bazooka at an older, more muscular Danny Phantom than last we saw. The two were engaged in aerial combat. Hmm, well combat implies both sides stand a chance however slim. This was the case at one point in the past. It never would be again.

 

"One, I'm the same size as your suit Skulker. Which means I'm still waay bigger than you blob man. Two, it's been 7 years give it up. You're gonna make me late for work!"

 

"I care nothing about your--WHAGH!"

 

Wham!

 

Skulker got a formal introduction to the side of a building courtesy the chain end of Phantom's kusari gama wrapping around his legs and yanking down. Hard.

 

In the five years since his awakening, Daniel Fenton/ Danny Phantom/ Nikkou got to reacquaint himself with his abilities and his favorite toy. Unlike regular man made weapons, his was a living part of him. He could direct it the same way he directed his own arm to move.

 

" I forgot about that acursed thing..."  Came a muffled groan.

 

"And once again the hunter is schooled by the huntee. See ya." Phantom sharply pulled on the weapon causing Skulker to fly over his head. And with another flick of his wrist 'The Ghost Zone's Greatest Hunter' was violently tossed into a waiting portal when the metal links unwound from his legs mid-arc. Phantom dropped down behind the building becoming Fenton once more and continued his walk to his destination. He had a job he loved on the side while taking courses in astrophysics from a private teacher due to his horrendously low GPA upon graduation. On Masters’ dime of course. It didn’t puzzle his parents at all that he suddenly had an interest in hanging out with Uncle Vlad. The four of them actually spent a lot of time together as well.

 

Amity Park had changed a great deal in 5 short years. Ghosts still attacked. Phantom still saved the day but those were about  the only things to remain the same. Most noticeably, the town gaining 4 new heroes.

 

Vlad served only the remainder of his term as mayor five years prior before returning to the private sector. He offered the explanation that he could no longer divide his time between his business and political affairs. Dlav Co.’s stock had slowly been declining since he took office. If he didn’t want to loose his shirt, he would have to step down. The Wisconsin Ghost seemed to vanish as well.

 

His acquisition of Axiom Labs shifted their focus from weapons to their less funded endeavors in medical technologies and pharmaceuticals. He split his time between Wisconsin where his main company was based and Amity where his newest component was anchored.

He did however recommend several candidates among which was Tucker Foley, urging him to wait until he as legal to vote himself before running. Sure enough after two others had been elected, Tuck became the town’s youngest Mayor at 18 and stayed in office until he was 20. He cited the same reasons for his failure to seek re-election as Masters had 4 years ago.

 

Tucker had been working on establishing his own gaming firm, Dark Light Carousel. His first few games were released without much fanfare. They were simple downloadable cellphone apps to pass the time. But the third “ Karuselo de Sonĝoj kaj Koŝmaroj ” (Esperanto for Carousel of Dreams and Nightmares) caught on like wild fire. It was available on all consoles and as a PC game.

 

Basically, players took on the persona of a character they created in a world much like the modern one except supernatural creatures ‘hid in plain sight’ the world over. You could play using one of the story lines that ranged from just surviving as whatever you chose to be in the real world to fighting for your life (or unlife) against evil organizations, despots alien invasions, you name it. You also had the option to place your character and stats into the online community where users were basically making up the story as they went along.

 

At one point a player with an avatar that was vampire lord disguised as a Dictator had successfully invaded several countries (real and fictional) on the network. They were toppled by an alliance of nations and communities that didn’t like the way things were going. The leader of the revolution? Tucker himself.

 

Of course no one knew that. They only knew a powerful wizard with technopathic powers, TechnoMagus Prime, had organized them. He had a good reason though. Apparently, Technus decided that Karuselo was as close to world conquest as he would get so he hijacked the game. The major clue was his character's tendency to rant about his plans in a high pitched nasally voice. That and his name, Count Techula. Yeah, so very lame but so very Technus.

 

Techula's reign lasted 8 months. WWIII had taken been waged in cyberspace. It involved aerial squadrons of Valkyries dog fighting flying beasts and throwing lightening. Seal teams made up of sea monsters able to take chunks out of water crafts with their claws and mouths. Demon storm troopers that were often living tanks bulldozing across the terrain. And, to prove the game was fun for all ages, fairy princess assassins were seen briefly by their targets before having a sparkly wand shoved  into their skulls or being blown to hell by pyroclastic fairy dust. All manner of others (human and beast) were also kicking ass and taking names. The whole thing took less time to squash than it took Hitler to march across the whole of Europe to England in WWII.

 

Tucker’s MMORPG kicked Doom off the map with better game play and cheaper software (with some credit to Count Techudork for making things interesting); eventually buying out the company. He recently got his picture in Forbes as part of the Young Millionaire’s Club at age 21. It had been widely speculated that TechnoMagus Prime was really one of Amity's new heros, Daemon*, because the gaunlets he wears in battle look and function like TMP's in the game; shooting electric and electromagnetic 'hexes'.

 

His uniform consisted of a green and black hooded cloak, obscuring his face, covering a plain black tee and pants that had alternating bands of green and black up the legs. He wore plain white sneakers. His glauntlets looked suspiciously like the Ghost Gauntlets except they bore a black Pegasus with a pole going through it, his company's logo. Cloth covered every inch of his skin but green eyes glowed under the hood.

 

Jazz gained her Psychology Doctorate and soon after seemed to vanish for weeks on end. Turns out she was traveling both worlds learning techniques not taught at the university. Namely meditation and the manipulation of psychic energies. She encountered both Nocturne and Spectra in her travels and had two very different experiences.

 

She met the dream ghost first. At first Nocturne was furious to see the Spectre Speeder inside the borders of his new domain within the ghost zone, the Temple of Morpheus. It was the place where dreams from the human world were able to permeate into the zone albeit on a much less potent level. He was still severely weakened by his last fight with Phantom and by association her.

 

But when he recognized the change in her status (namely her new power level), common sense kicked in and he bowed to her. At first she was just tired of trekking; confused by his actions and just too exhausted to care at the time. It took a while (and some much needed sleep) for her to understand that many ghosts, despite their obsession, have a sense of self preservation when faced with beings more powerful than them. It’s the reason many ghosts could be classified as minions; doing the bidding of more powerful entities. By then, she had had an idea.

 

Jazz asked him if he would be willing to use his abilities for something helpful. Good dreams provided him power and nightmares were absolutely useless. So, why not help insure people have good dreams by way of dream therapy? Jazz subscribed to the belief that dreams were the key to understanding the mind. That many psychological issues manifest there and do harm. Her solution was to explore a patient’s dreams and help them work through the voices telling them to burn the neighbor's cat or the depression so deep there is no joy in things they once loved.

 

She was not naive enough to believe all mental problems could be solved or treated this way but she was sure enough could be. She also knew she would have to figure out a way to structure her research and present the findings in a manner that did not reveal the fact that she was basically a psychic witch with a ghost servant that fed on dreams. Better to cross that bridge when she came to it.

 

After some further discussion, the dream ghost expressed his desire to be in the human realm once again. He pledged his services to her and she told him to stay out of trouble; she would return soon.

 

Spectra, on the other hand,  tried to feed on her secret doubts and fears the instant she saw her. Ones about being a good psychologist and controlling her new psychic abilities. Not to mention her fear of never marrying or doing so only to end up like her aunt Alicia. A brilliant, divorced doctor living in the ass crack of America to hide from her pain. Her recent break up with her college steady didn't help either.

 

The result was predictable, Jazz took on her battle form. In a flash, her hair turned sea-foam green, taking on a more wild appearance. Her eyes became a brighter blue and her skin as pale as snow. A form fitting dark blue dress with frayed hem and sleeves and a blue gem at the navel much like depictions of banshees replaced her shirt and jeans. A gossamer veil the same color as the dress covered her face, held in place by a silver band around her head dotted with blue gems. She wore no shoes and appeared to have no weapons whatsoever.

 

Until Spectra send Bertrand at her and both were consumed by blue flames. She also could cause unbearable pain inside the mind without physical attack and trap her enemies within dream spheres forcing them to sleep. She was still quite uncomfortable with her ability to hypnotize and control others. She didn't have a problem leaving the emotion succubus in her shriveled form and terrified of closing her eyes near the Far Frozen, though.

 

Needless to say, word spread that if you value your after life, DO NOT piss off Phantom’s big sister, Lady Psyphire**.

 

Valerie had a harder time than the others because her father knew more about the things she did than her friends' folks. He was horrified when Phantom phased her limp form into their living room five years ago.

 

The ghost boy told him that her alter ego would have to die if he wanted her to have a shot at a normal life. Desmond, who was still overwhelmed by Phantom holding his daughter, barely heard anything he said beyond 'she'll wake up in a few hours'.

 

Mr. Grey was also stunned by him sitting on the floor of her room and playing games on cell phone until she awoke. Since when did ghosts have smartphones? Why did he care so much about what happened to his daughter, the girl actively trying to vaporize him for the last 2 years?  

 

Val came too to find her father concealing the small ectogun she'd made him promise to hold onto under the back of his shirt and eying Phantom warily. He was so relieved when she sat up but still confused when her first action was to clock the ghost boy with a pillow and scream at him about 'no warning at all'. So it's no suprise whatsoever that when white rings moved across his body revealing Daniel Fenton, he just passed out. Valerie and Danny played fruit ninja for the thirty minutes he was out knowing he'd be okay.

 

Of all the ghost fighters in Amity, Valerie was the only one who's life the bad guys knew nothing about. It was only a matter of time before her dual identity was exposed. But if she became a ghost, no one would connect her and Valerie Grey if Grey was still alive and well. They carefully omitted the part about his baby girl being immortal now. She would tell him once she felt he was ready to know. Or she had to explain why something fatal didn’t kill her. Whichever occurred first. For now, the story was she had been involved in a battle near Axiom Labs and got sprayed with goop that gave her powers. Phantom found her and brought her home. As brilliant a man as Desmond Grey was, he fell prey to the same lack of observational (and deductive) skills as everyone else in town and bought the story.

 

The next day, while evacuating a sheet metal factory under attack, the Huntress was seen entering the building to look for trapped civilians but didn’t get out before the whole place went up in smoke. That night, a spirit dressed in red was seen emerging from the debris. It was assumed the ghost huntress' drive caused her to become the very thing she hunted. Still calling herself Red Huntress, her battle uniform changed dramatically.

 

Her helmet was replaced by high tech goggles that let her retain the helmet's functions. Her clothes came to resemble Jean Grey in the X3 movie. To keep up the guise of being a ghost, her skin took on a bluish hue, her hair became jet black. She developed the ability to create maelstrom traps, spirals of red wind that immobilized her opponents. She could also control air in general, causing gale force winds capable of slicing through reinforced steel. It  had been speculated that in time she could develop the same powers as Vortex. The Huntress still preferred her guns though; but now they no longer needed charging. Her core powered them.

 

It was easier explaining to her father that she didn’t want to leave town to go to college. She reasoned she could learn the same stuff at Amity Park Community College for far less money. He wanted her close to home anyway. She chose Criminal Justice as her degree program, aspiring not to become an officer but Forensic Scientist. When she began interning for the APPD crime lab, she ran into another problem; she would leave a duplicate in the lab while she went to help with the ghost of the day. The problem you ask? Well...

 

The first few times she tried it were train wrecks. Controlling two bodies doing two vastly different things was much harder than anticipated. The Red Huntress got tossed about like a rag-doll while duplicate Valerie broke test tubes, walked into walls and spilled chemicals all over the place resulting in a fair share issues. She couldn’t concentrate on either situation. So, she asked Vlad/Oidhche to help her get used to it.

 

He explained in no uncertain terms that this would be a grueling process for her simply because she was not born with a predisposition for her abilities like he and Danny/Nikkou. They started slow, having both original and duplicate do simple things like walking, writing jumping and lifting things at the same time. Gradually, he had one complete one of these tasks while the other did a different one at the same time. After six months the Red Huntress could put the hurt on ghostly goons while duplicate Valerie carefully examined evidence. Of course, spending time at Ebedi’s palace where time does not pass the same way, sped up her development. It was about then Mr. Grey got the call that he was much in demand as Dalv Co. Securities.

 

Sam surprised no one by becoming an activist for the environment.  She became known as Black Thorn in Amity and her appearance was simply an older version of  the form she took when Undergrowth possessed her. Without the controlling vines or the psychotic brain scramble. The color scheme changed a bit too. Only the right glove and the studded band on her left thigh were green. Everything else was black, hence her name. Her powers obvious.

 

Sam maintained that her costume choice was the same as Bruce Wayne's choice of a bat for his suit. Her experience with the plant spirit had scarred her deeper than anyone knew. She had been violated by a supernatural representation of something she loved and sought to protect. As a result she often had nightmares about becoming 'daughter' again. Surprisingly, it was her Nana who helped her most, even though Sam was unsure just how much the elderly daredevil knew for sure.

 

Nana Manson told her grandchild that she had always reminded her of fairy tales her own grandmother used to tell about the Rusalki, the  sprites that kept nature in harmony. Lovely young maidens that live in the lakes, the trees, the mountains. They brought the rains and caused crops to grow; according to Slavic folklore. She always knew Sam was special and would go on to do things others could only dream of. Nana Manson had noticed how the plants inside the mansion grew better the closer they were to her room. It was the reason the plucky old gal had the garden placed on the same side of their estate as her nursery and moved again when Sam was 5 and too big for her old room.

 

"Once you let fear grab you by the boccie balls bubelah, it's hard to shake it off. What you got to do is swing that mallet God gave you for all you're worth. It's the only way to win "

 

Her metaphors were always unique but hard to misunderstand. It didn't surprise Sam that after the skiing accident the winter she turned 18, her Nana passed on instead of remaining as a ghost. But she does have the most interesting bush of rainbow colored roses framing her head stone.

 

Sam's name had been in the media for protesting drilling in wild life reserves and lobbying Washington to "stop taking bribes, get off your lazy asses and make careless polluter clean up their acts." She had even managed to strong arm Masters into beginning to go green. Well that's what the papers reported anyhow. It was sort of true.

 

She needed help with a petition to stop one of his competitors from building an offshore oil rig in the middle of a reef system. She was a few lines of red tape away from having the area declared a protected zone. It was harder because it sat 20 miles off the coast of the dirt poor  island nation of Koalut*** in the south Pacific. The natives saw an economic boon, to hell with the consequences.

 

Masters offered the people (who's gross domestic income was less than 4000 dollars per capita annually) a way to farm better and allow the nation’s desert and 4 unoccupied rock islands to be used for solar and wind power collection. The the offer stalled the Koalutians long enough for the reef to become a no drill zone. Having lost the original offer Koalut became the first nation powered 85% by green energy. The other 15% simply had no electricity.

 

Her activities took her globe trotting but only after promising her parents that she would keep up with online college courses. It was very awkward to keep up with given the different timezones and occasional connectivity issues. But she was nearly done with her environmental sciences major.

 

The Fentons were at first highly alarmed by the appearance of four more omega level entities in their town. Jazz and Danny decided that they should tell them who they were because both of their children were involved. It was probably more because there had been a few issues with control and fear of injuring the hunters on accident. They all gathered at FentonWorks (minus Vlad who was in Japan) and transformed in front of Jack and Maddie last year.

 

Instantly, they were convinced the five of them were possessed. They threw every anti ghost weapon they had at them in hopes of setting them free. They had very little effect, seeing as they were not actually ectoplasmic manifestations, only pretending to be. The scientists/hunters were half way through their arsenal in before anyone had a chance to talk. Which only happened as a result of somebody wanting to be anywhere but there at the time.

 

Daemon got bored with the whole situation 30 minutes in and simply let loose an EM pulse causing all technology in the entire house to stop functioning briefly. All he said was said “Call me when it’s over.”,  before teleporting into Karuselo; not giving Black Thorn or Red Huntress the chance to strangle him. Lady Psyphire pinched her veil where the bridge of her nose was and Danny briefly wondered why he didn’t think of that first.

 

The atmosphere was still tense and uneasy even after they agreed to discuss the situation because...

 

a) They had no way to prove they weren’t ghosts, that they didn’t possess anyone, or that ghosts weren’t all evil. Why? Tucker had demonstrated that they could effect the equipment, rendering any testing subject to suspicion. Thanks Tuck. Thanks a lot.

 

b) Evidence from seven years ago still gave some credit to the issue of Phantom’s Public Enemy status...even though the only ones who still cared about it were just the Goons in White and the Fentons. Long ago, many had decided they’d rather have occasional property damage from a ghost that ‘might be’ evil fighting one they ‘knew’ was evil and would take over otherwise.

 

It would take until the present for the two to understand that without these entities their town, hell their world, would have ceased to be long ago. It wasn’t all sun shine and rainbows though. Phantom still got shot at once and a while when he appeared on the scene. Which Jack would immediately justify with “Force of habit!”.

 

Maddie became obsessed with trying to determine good, bad, and neutral ghosts by their energy signature. She would test out her inventions on the usually unsuspecting crew. Just what a tired hero wants! Painful surprises when the latest do-hickey couldn’t figure out what they were.

 

Sylphine and Chainey just vanished right after balance was restore day five years ago. Her mission complete, it was assumed she could finally rest and return to her loved ones. They all wished them the best of luck.

 

In the end, everyone learned that things were the way they were and would merely require getting used to. Period.

 

…

 

What?

 

You thought I was going to say something different? That things were all peachy keen and would be forever more?

 

Silly rabbit. Happily ever afters are for kids.

 

Back to Danny’s urgency to get where he was going.

 

He reached the front gates of Axiom Labs and completed a retina scan to gain entry. Once inside, he proceed down a hall way that looked more like  a dungeon the further along he went. Stopping at a large door, he took the clipboard from the slot on the adjoining wall and glanced over it while the security system scanned his entire body.

 

“Authorized, Nikkou. Access Granted.” a computer voice droned.

 

The new room was quite large. To his right, a large glass window. Beyond it, were two empty beds. To the left, there was enough lab equipment and computers to make a scientist drool. In the center were two metal tables outfitted with numerous belts and straps. Both were occupied by shaking forms. Two men with unkempt black hair and yellow eyes wide with fear. Leather gags with bits inside to keep them from biting their own tongues off silenced their cries.

 

“My my we have a busy day today. RT3 trials for Parkinson's just wrapped up so this month’s agenda is....side effects of prolonged exposure.” Danny murmured tossing the chart on to a nearby  table.

 

“Don’t bother with pleasantries dear brother. They don’t seem to be in the mood.” Vlad chuckled from somewhere near a console in the back.

 

“Hmm. Well I’m not in the mood to gather boring data. I’d rather have a basic biology lesson.”

 

Daniel Fenton, all around good guy and hero, approached the two men pushing a cart covered in horrifying implements straight out of the SAW movies.

 

“It hurts to know that you belong here doesn’t it Gozlemek? Kayit?” He asked innocently as he tied on a smock and slipped on gloves.

 

“This nightmare you don’t get to wake up from.” Vlad smirked. He had already anticipated they day’s activities and dressed accordingly. “Wasn’t it nice of father to allow you to retain your eternal life? Well, most of it anyhow? Now, I wonder, wonder how long would the human lungs would take to stop functioning if placed outside the chest cavity without severing any connections?”

 

“And I wonder the same about the heart. Let’s find out.”

  
  


The sound of two splash guards clicking into the locked position, tools whirring to life, and agonized screams never made it beyond the mysterious door.

 

*I’m a linebreak! Beware!**I’m a linebreak! Beware!**I’m a linebreak! Beware!*

 

Far away, in another universe, the Man of Steel was trying to protect his super sensitive eardrums from his lovely fiance's screeching. And failing.

 

“I can’t believe this! Is it true?! How could you?! As far as I’m concerned, you deserved that arrow to the chest!” Lois Lane had just been freed from a cloaked maniac holding her hostage. At least that’s what the League thought when they sent Superman to Metropolis Harbor with Green Lantern and Black Canary as support against the unknown villain.

 

In the resulting battle, a bizarre arrow made of energy pierced his chest and for a brief moment, he heard his own heart stop. The man escaped into a black portal leave three confused heroes alone with an pissed instead of grateful ace reporter.

 

“Ms. Lane-” John tried to get her to at least  tone it down a bit. Bad idea. She simply began to scream at him.

 

“Shut up! You’re no better and I wasn’t talking to you! Got something to say Blondie?”

 

Black Canary held up her hands in defeat not wishing to be involved.

 

“Lois what it the problem? That man kidnapped you and you’re mad at us for saving you?” Superman asked as calmly as he could. He would've sworn he saw steam come out of the woman’s ears.  
  
“Us my ass! It’s just you Clark! Sagittarius and I had a nice long chat complete with visual aides. He wasn’t going to hurt me, just give me an exclusive. You better pray I calm down before I decide to print this for real or worse show your mother! ”

 

The angry woman threw a rolled up newspaper at him and stormed past her two other saviors.

 

It was a mock up of an issue to be printed. On the front page was a picture of Superman standing valiantly. Side by side with a picture of a clearly angst ridden Conner. The article was continued on page A4. The headline caused his eyes to bulge out comically.

 

LAST SON OF KRYPTON REJECTS OWN FLESH AND BLOOD! SUPER HERO OR DEADBEAT DAD?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha! I'm done. Longest chapter! Love it? Hate it? Tell me please!That last blurb was just a teaser folks. Hoped you all enjoyed the ride. Stay tuned for Parallels coming soon. In the meantime, please read A Mother's Love for a bit more about the sequel. Sirensoundwave out!
> 
> * A daemon is a program that runs silently in the background until triggered by another event or processes to act. Viral daemons can be introduced undetected onto a computer by piggybacking on otherwise safe emails or login portals.
> 
> ** pyschic + sapphire ; Jazz seems like Lady material to me.
> 
> *** made it up, made it up, made it up, up, up...


End file.
